This question-and-answer list doesn't answer all the questions that people often have about expired accounts, but here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Please direct unanswered questions and problems to us at cscf.accounts@uwaterloo.ca .
Q: Why is my account going away?
A: Accounts exist because they are sponsored. The Dean sponsors basic accounts for students in the Faculty of Mathematics, individual instructors sponsor accounts for their courses (including for students outside the faculty), and researchers sponsor accounts for themselves and their assistants.
When an account no longer has a sponsor, it enters an expiry process. You will receive notifications informing you that your account is approaching expiry and that you should copy any important files. During this period, you are expected to transfer any data you wish to keep before the account expires.
Q: What about my disk quota?
A: If you have files in your home directory under your TEACHING account, you must copy them before your account expires to avoid losing access.
You can transfer your files by mapping your home directory as a network drive on your personal computer or by using file transfer tools. Instructions are available here:
How-to guides and tutorials | Computer Science Computing Facility (CSCF) | University of Waterloo
Once your account has expired, you will no longer be able to access your files.
If you were unable to retrieve your data before expiry, please contact the CSCF Help Desk at cscf@uwaterloo.ca as soon as possible for assistance.
Data is retained for up to 18 months after account expiry; however, access is not guaranteed, and delays may result in permanent data loss.
Q: I'm on a co-op work term. Isn't my account supposed to stay around until I return?
A: Yes, your account should remain active while you are on a co-op work term.
If your work term lasts longer than 8 months, this information is not automatically provided to us. In this case, your co-op advisor must send confirmation to cscf.accounts@uwaterloo.ca to ensure your account remains active.
Q: I am a grad student. Isn't my student account supposed to stay around?
A: For graduate students, TEACHING accounts are intended for course-related work only. If you are not registered in applicable courses, your account will expire.
You should have a GENERAL account for your graduate studies. Please contact the CSCF Help Desk (cscf@uwaterloo.ca) or your Point of Contact if you need assistance accessing your account: https://student.cs.uwaterloo.ca/password/
Please note that the data retention policy is the same for both TEACHING and GENERAL accounts. Once an account expires, access is removed, and data is retained for 18 months. After this period, all data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
Q: I'm already a registered student, so why is this happening to me?
A: The expiry will be automatically cancelled if you register for appropriate courses or programs before the account is disabled.
If your registration is processed in time, your account will remain active without interruption.
Q: But I just said that I am a registered student.
A: Registration applies only to the current academic term. For example, if you are pre-registered for a course in the Winter term, your account may still be considered expired at the end of the Fall term. Your account status will be updated at the start of the Winter term.
Please note that there may be a delay of several days between when you register for a course and when this information is reflected in our systems. If your access is urgently needed during this period, you may contact us and we can assist in updating your account status.
Q: How do I keep my account if I'm not registered in appropriate courses this term?
A: Accounts can only be maintained if they are sponsored by a faculty member. This includes course instructors or researchers within the School of Computer Science.
If you are not registered in applicable courses, you will need to arrange sponsorship with a faculty member to retain your account.
Q: Can I sponsor an account myself?
A: CSCF does not provide self-sponsored or paid accounts, and other departments such as IST and the Office of Alumni Affairs do not offer this service.
The Computer Science Club (MC 3037) provides free accounts to its members, who may be current or former students in any faculty. Please contact them directly for more information.
Q: I know it's going away. Why do you have to keep telling me about it?
A: Multiple notifications are sent to ensure that users are aware of the upcoming account expiry and have sufficient time to take action.
Once your account has expired, you will no longer be able to access your account or its contents.