Connect to Technology at Northeastern

Welcome to the Northeastern University community! Connect to Tech is the go-to guide for helping Mills faculty, staff, and students navigate technology for teaching, learning, research, and day-to-day life at Northeastern. 

Support throughout your Northeastern journey.

You probably have lots of questions about what learning, research, and work will look like at Northeastern. This guide will help support you through this transition, answer questions, and direct you to the resources you need to succeed during your career at Northeastern. Check back often, as this site will continue to be updated with information.

Top of Mind

Key Resources

On-site and virtual IT support

The Prieto Tech Bar is open! Drop by for assistance, no appointment necessary, Or, reach out to the Northeastern IT Service Desk through 24/7 support options.

Today at the Tech Bar

Expert IT staff are available to assist with technology questions and support to ensure a solid foundation for excellence. Get the most out of your technology through interactive workshops and one-on-one trainings to boost productivity in or out of the classroom.

Technology Training

Build new competencies and skills to support working, teaching, and learning at a modern, digital university. Search or browse for opportunities to learn and develop new technology skills, or view the featured trainings below.

Get Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Accounts

How do I get access to Northeastern systems?

Your Northeastern username and password will provide access to many of Northeastern’s most frequently used sites and services. Visit accounts.northeastern.edu to claim accounts and find related information

What is Duo and how do I set it up?

Duo is Northeastern’s two-factor authentication service, and every Northeastern account holder is required to enroll in it. Please wait approximately 30 minutes after claiming your account; then, visit 2fa.northeastern.edu to enroll in Duo. Once enrolled, you can manage your Duo 2FA settings at any time.

Two-factor authentication an extra layer of security that helps protect your online identity and personal information, as well as institutional research, data, and intellectual property.

Does my Mills username and password still work?

You will continue to have access to your Mills username and password, but access is subject to change in the future.

How do I manage my Northeastern password?

After activating a Northeastern account, update your password or manage account settings anytime by visiting accounts.northeastern.edu.

Where can I find my NUID number?

Your NUID is your Northeastern ID number. Students can find it in the Student Hub. Employees can find it in their Workday profile, as well as on the Employee Hub.

Email

How do I access my Northeastern email address?

A @northeastern.edu email address was provided to you when you claimed your account.

  1. Visit outlook.office.com
  2. Enter in your Northeastern account username followed by “@northeastern.edu” and hit next.
  3. Select Active Directory.
  4. Use your Northeastern password. 

Learn more about accessing and using your Northeastern Microsoft 365 Email and Calendar.

What happened to my Mills email address?

Your @northeastern.edu email address should be your primary email account. Your Mills email data has been migrated to a Northeastern email account and messages sent to @mills.edu addresses are forwarded to Northeastern mailboxes, making access to Google mailboxes unnecessary. Email forwarding will continue for at least the duration of the 2022-23 academic year.  

What happened to my Mills email data?

In August 2022, Northeastern automatically migrated students, staff, and faculty Mills Google email, calendar, and contact data to the associated Northeastern Outlook accounts. The university has turned on email forwarding from @mills.edu addresses to @northeastern.edu addresses as part of the migration.

For more information about what the email migration, see the migration checklist.

How do I forward my Mills College emails to a Northeastern account?

Your Mills email data has been automatically set up to forward to your Northeastern email account. If you believe your emails are not being forwarded, contact the IT Service Desk at 617.373.HELP [4357] or help@northeastern.edu.

What happened to alumnae.mills.edu email accounts?

The Gmail retirement did not impact @alumnae.mills.edu Gmail accounts.  

Did my Google Drive files also migrate? 

Mills Google Drive files will not be automatically migrated. While access to Mills Google Drive or Millswork is not expected to change at this time, you may benefit from migrating your Drive files to OneDrive. Microsoft OneDrive is Northeastern’s preferred cloud storage option for individual use, which comes with 1 TB. Microsoft Teams is the recommended file storage option for departments and groups. 

To access your Mills Google account data, you must go to google.com to log in. The Gmail app will no longer be accessible in your @mills.edu account.

What is happening to my M: Drive access?

There are currently no plans to change or retire the M: Drive (Millswork) during this academic year.  Any plans to change or retire the service will be communicated in a future update.  

For guidance on shared file storage solutions, such as files shared among a department or team, request a Digital Solutions Consultation with the Digital University Solutions team.

What is happening to my shared mailbox?

A majority of shared mailboxes have been migrated to an @northeastern.edu shared mailbox account. Learn how to access a shared mailbox in Outlook.

If you need more assistance, contact the IT Service Desk at 617.373.HELP [4357] or help@northeastern.edu.

What will happen to Mills distribution groups?

All Mills distribution groups must be recreated in the Northeastern system as a new distribution group to successfully deliver emails to those addresses. Your email may bounce back and be unable to send if this step has not been completed.

Groups containing only Northeastern email addresses can be created as a distribution group, whereas group that include email addresses outside of the @northeastern.edu domain need to be created as a LISTSERV list. Learn the difference between distribution groups and LISTSERV lists.

Computing

What network should I use on campus?

For wired connections, use existing Mills wired networks. For wireless service on campus, use the Eduroam network with your Northeastern username and password. It is a secure roaming wireless network developed for and used by the education community.

NURes is an open Wi-Fi network in the residence halls for gaming and entertainment devices like Amazon Echo and Fire devices, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. These devices must be registered to connect. 

Will I need to use a VPN?

The Northeastern VPN is required for certain Northeastern resources, including shared departmental ( Q: ) drives, Banner, certain library databases, and data centers. Install Northeastern’s VPN service, Global Protect, by visiting vpn.northeastern.edu. Learn more about Northeastern’s VPN and remote access.

Where should I store and manage my files?

Microsoft OneDrive is Northeastern’s preferred cloud storage option for individual use, and Microsoft Teams is the recommended file storage option for departments and groups.

For guidance on shared file storage solutions, such as files shared among a department or team, request a Digital Solutions Consultation with the Digital University Solutions team.

Will I receive a new computer, and where do I get one?

Check with your home Northeastern department on computing needs. Computer packages may be purchased by departments for university use. Discounts on personal computer purchases are also available to members of the Northeastern community. Visit computer-discounts.northeastern.edu/personal/ to learn more.

How do I log in to Microsoft Teams?

To access Teams, visit teams.northeastern.edu. From there, download the Teams app to your device, the recommended way to use Teams at Northeastern. Use your Northeastern email address and password to log in. Read the article How do I log into Microsoft 365 to learn about this process and facilitate a more seamless login experience.

Teaching and Learning

How do I get access to Canvas at Northeastern?

Northeastern Canvas can be found at canvas.northeastern.edu. From there, log in to access to the Canvas learning management system and find training and support resources for both instructors and students. 

I’m an instructor. How do I get a development shell in Canvas?

All courses listed with the Registrar are added to Canvas automatically 12 weeks before the semester starts. Instructors who aren’t yet assigned a section through the Registrar but who would like a blank Canvas shell to begin creating content can request a development shell using this form. 

I’m an instructor. How do I get access to my semester courses in Canvas?

All courses listed with the Registrar are automatically added to Canvas 12 weeks before the term starts. Instructors who aren’t yet assigned to a section through the Registrar’s Office need to contact their department head or department secretary. Once the program manager adds you as the primary instructor, it may take up to 48 hours to appear on your Canvas Dashboard.

How can I migrate my Mills Canvas content to Northeastern’s Canvas?

Instructors who would like content migrated from the Mills Canvas and placed into a development shell on the Northeastern Canvas can use this form to request migration.

How can I learn more about the Northeastern Canvas environment?

An on-demand training designed especially for Mills instructors new to the Northeastern Canvas environment is available. Additional training on other technology services may be found on the ITS training website.

What are best practices for using Canvas at Northeastern?

Canvas offers a digital home for students who may be accessing courses from across campus or across the globe. The start-of-term checklist will help instructors best prepare Canvas courses for students. 

How can I retrieve information from Mills Canvas?

Mills Canvas is no longer available. Mills faculty and students can request archives of Mills Canvas courses held before July 1, 2022 through a Mills Canvas Information Retrieval Form. Archive options include a Mills Canvas Student Submissions Package, a Mills Canvas Content Import Package, or a Mills Canvas Course Record. Read the article How do I request access to Blackboard data, content, or submissions? to learn more about these requests.

How do I get training on the classrooms?

Classrooms on the Oakland campus are now Northeastern Global Learning Spaces. Basic classroom training can be completed in 30-60 minutes and is available both on-demand (recorded) and on-ground (register).

To incorporate the classroom into a larger student engagement strategy, review the Learning Together with Teams Training or sign up for a live virtual session.

To learn more about using an iPad in the classroom, review the Transforming Teaching with iPads Training.  

To learn more about utilizing a cart-powered Global Learning Space, register for the in-person training course.

How do I get IT help in a classroom?

For support during a class session, email classroomITsupport@northeastern.edu. Please include the building and room name in the subject of your email.

How do I speak with a specialist in Canvas and Academic Technologies about choosing tools and using Canvas?

Instructors and teaching assistants can submit a consultation with an Academic Technologies team member to discuss strategies, and ideas for using Canvas and integrated tools or to ask any questions about Canvas.

How do I set my account time zone and course time zone in Canvas?

Time zones in Canvas can be set at the course and user account levels. Time zone settings determine how assignment due dates and calendar events are displayed to users enrolled in a course. All Northeastern Canvas courses and accounts default to Eastern Time. Learn more about how to set time zones in Canvas.

Quick Start

For more about technology at Northeastern, select the guide below that is tailored to your role.

Faculty

Key technology resources for teaching and collaborating across the university.

Students

Take your academic experience to new heights with these key technology resources.

Staff

Increase productivity and facilitate collaboration with these key technology resources.