How to reset your MHC Account password

Overview

Resetting your MHC Account password using the instructions below will change your password for Google Mail and Apps, Moodle, my.mtholyoke and all* services that require MHC credentials. 

*Note that as of 1/5/24 Colleague have switched to using your main MHC account password. However, select linux servers continue to utilize the legacy password profile system. Use these instructions to reset your legacy system password. 

How to reset a forgotten MHC Account password

1. Go to the forgot password page in my.mtholyoke self service
2. Enter your MHC username (don't include the @mtholyoke.edu) and a personal recovery email address that you have on file with the College
   • Student applicants or new students not yet on campus should use the email address they provided to the Admissions office for their application
   • Alums should use an email address they provided the Alumnae Association or Advancement  
   • Current students, faculty, or staff should use the email address they’ve maintained in their myProfile section of my.mtholyoke
   • Five College and Simmons students should use their home institution email address
   • Dual enrollment high school students should use the email address they provided to MHC as part of their enrollment
3. Click off somewhere on the side in the white space of the page to get the submit button to turn blue so you can interact with it
4. Choose Submit
5. If our central administrative system can match the personal email address you provided to your MHC username, you’ll be sent a password recovery email
   1. The subject line will be "Reset Your MHC Password"
6. In the password recovery email, please select the “reset your password” link (or copy and paste the url at the bottom of the email into a web browser)
   • This link is only active for 15 minutes; if you miss the window, just submit the forgot password form again
7. On the Reset Password screen, enter your MHC username (don't include the @mtholyoke.edu) and a NEW password of your choosing

7. After you’ve entered the new password and confirmed it, choose Reset Password
8. The screen will confirm that your password has successfully changed. You’ll also get a message in your MHC email inbox notifying you that your MHC password has been changed.

How to set your MHC password for the first time / change a known MHC Account password 

These instructions can be used to change your MHC Account password if you still remember your current one or if you've just received your account information and initial password. 

1. Go to the change password page in my.mtholyoke's self service tools
2. Enter your MHC username (don't include the @mtholyoke.edu) and current or initial password
   • New students will receive their initial password from admissions in May (fall entrants) or October (spring entrants)
   • New staff will receive their initial password from their supervisor on their first day of work
   • New faculty will receive their initial password from the Provost's Office in their welcome packet
   • New Five College, Simmons, and dual enrollment high school students will receive their initial password via a system email sent within the first two weeks of classes the first semester they take a class at MHC
3. Then provide and confirm a NEW password
   • Passwords must meet these criteria
4. After you’ve entered the new password and confirmed it, choose Change Password
5. The screen will confirm that your password has successfully changed

Manage your legacy system password

These instructions can be used whether this is your first time setting a legacy system password or you're resetting a forgotten legacy system password.

1. Log in to the legacy system password profile page with the password you use for your MHC email account (instructions for setting/resetting that are above)
   • We know our password profile page isn’t the most beautiful website we’ve ever made — but rest assured, it is secure and will do the job
2. On the Password policies page that you land on, use the Yes, continue button to continue
3. Next you will see the Review your recovery email address page. Check that you have a current personal email address on this page. Your recovery email address ensures your ability to recover access to your account if you forget your password. Use the Submit button to continue
4. Next you will see the MHC computer account profile page. In the section Change primary MHC password, enter a new password in both fields, paying attention to the password requirements
   • Passwords must meet these criteria
5. Once you have entered a new password and confirmed it, use the Change password button
6. You will see a green confirmation screen with the message Primary MHC password set. You have successfully reset your password!