What username/password do I use to access the Purdue-alumni Web Community? If you are already a registered user of Boilersphere, please use that username/password to log into the Web Community. Purdue-alumni Web Community. If you don't have a username/password in Boilersphere nor in the Web Community, please choose the "sign up" link on the left-hand side of the page.

Do I have to be a graduate of Purdue or member of the Purdue Alumni Association to use the Purdue-alumni Web Community? No. Former students, retirees, and friends of Purdue are eligible to use the Purdue-alumni Web Community.

Do I need anything special on my computer in order to access the Purdue-alumni Web Community? In order to access the Web Community, you will need access to the Internet, and a web browser. We recommend using Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher or Netscape 6.1 or higher. Mozilla Firefox 5.0 is also compatible with the community. With any browser you are using, make sure that the ability to accept cookies is enabled.

I tried to sign up, but I keep getting an error that says, "I'm sorry, we can't seem to find you in our database." What's the problem? When signing up, you will be prompted to enter some personal information about yourself, including your first and last name, your date of birth and the last four digits of your social security number. All of this information must match exactly with what the University has on file for you in order for you to gain access to the system. While much of the University data is accurate, occasionally, the information is incorrect or mismatched. The most common reason for receiving the error indicating that you cannot be found in our database is because information you entered does not match what we have on file for you. The following are some suggestions that may assist you in signing up: Most of the time, the University has your legal name on file, not your nickname (e.g., Jeffrey, not Jeff) Most of the time, you do not need to enter a middle initial or suffix (e.g., Jr., IV) If you go by your middle name, try first entering your first name only If you go by an initial, make sure that you include the period after the letter (e.g., "L.") Make sure your date of birth is entered correctly Double check your email address; if your email address is invalid, you will not be able to receive your password. Please note that each unsuccessful attempt to register generates an email that is sent to the Purdue-alumni Web Community help desk; the Purdue-alumni Administrator follows up on these issues. You can also email the help desk directly: alumniemail@purdue.edu

After signing up, I received a password, but it doesn't work. All passwords are case sensitive, so please make sure you are entering them exactly as they appear. Additionally, many passwords use an underscore ( _ ) in them; to generate an underscore, you will need to hold down the "Shift" key while pressing the "dash" button. If you are still having difficulty, please email the Purdue-alumni Administrator.

The username I was assigned is hard to remember. Can I change it? Yes, you can change your username! After logging in to the Purdue-alumni Web Community, click on "My Options." At the top of the page is a link to change your username. Click on that link and follow the instructions to change your username.

How can I change my password? To change your password, login to the Purdue-alumni Web Community, and click on "My Options." At the top of the page is a link to change your password. Click on that link and follow the instructions to change your password.

What is "My Profile"? "My Profile" displays information that Purdue currently has on file about you. To update information within the "My Profile" area, click on the "Modify" or "New" links which can be found on the far-right side of the screen (depending on your screen resolution, you may need to scroll over in order to see this information). After clicking on the appropriate link, make the necessary changes and click the "Submit" button at the bottom. You will need to use navigation buttons on the left to view your updated information; do not use the "Back" button.

What is "My Options"? "My Options" is the area where you can go to select the information you would like displayed or hidden about yourself in the upcoming online directory. By checking and unchecking the boxes next to various categories, you can choose the information that will be made available to those who are searching for you. "My Options" is also the area to change your username, and change your password.

What is email forwarding? Email forwarding is a service provided to alumni and friends of Purdue. The service allows users to select a forwarding address (e.g, "selectedname@alumni.purdue.edu") and then register a storage email address with the University. Any email sent to "selectedname@alumni.purdue.edu" is automatically forwarded to the storage email address. Email forwarding allows you to change your storage address as many times as you'd like "behind the scenes," while making the rest of world think you've always had the same email address!

Will messages sent to my @purdue.edu career account be automatically forwarded to my alumni email address? Student career accounts and alumni email forwarding are two different systems. Messages sent to you at your @purdue.edu career account will not be forwarded to your alumni email address.

I graduated this past May. How long will my student career account (@purdue.edu) remain active? Career accounts are deactivated twice per year-- over Octoberbreak and Spring Break. Career accounts for May and August graduates are deleted over Octoberbreak, and December graduate career accounts are deleted over Spring Break. Once your @purdue.edu account has been deactivated, any email sent to that address bounces back to the sender. This is one great reason to set up your alumni email forwarding address before graduation!

I graduated in 2003 and already have an email forwarding account-- but now I need to change my storage email address. How can I access it? Graduates of the class of 2003 experienced email forwarding as a stand-alone service. Now, email forwarding service has been rolled in the Purdue-alumni Web Community. You will need to activate an account with the Web Community in order to update your email storage address. To sign up for the web community, go to www.purdue.edu/alumni and click on "Sign Up."

I signed up for an alumni email forwarding address, but I've gotten married and I want to change my email forwarding address to reflect my new name. Can I do that? Yes! To change your email forwarding alias, first login to the Purdue-alumni Web Community. Then, click "Email Forwarding" from the links on the left-hand side. You will see a button that says, "Remove." After clicking that button, you can go back to "Email Forwarding" and sign up for a new address.

I'd like to make a gift to Purdue. Do you accept credit and debit cards? Yes! You can make a gift using your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit/debit card. You can also choose to have funds directly withdrawn from your checking account via ACH.

Do I have to set up an account with the Purdue-alumni Web Community in order to make a gift? No, you do not have to create a Web Community account in order to make a gift or pledge. However, if you would like to make a pledge, signing up for the Web Community will save you time and effort. To sign up for the Web Community, click on "Sign Up" from the top-left of the menu.

I want to make a gift to a department that is not listed on the drop down list. What do I do? To make a gift to an area other than those listed on the "Make a Gift" page drop-down menu, simply scroll to the bottom of the drop-down menu and select "Other, See special instructions below." Then, in the text box underneath, type in where you'd like your donation to be directed.

After I've selected where I want my gift to go to, I get passed on to a page that looks different from the Web Community. Why? After the user chooses his/her allocation, he/she is passed on to Purdue's secure giving site, which is hosted by TouchNet. Purdue recently partnered with TouchNet to offer great new online giving features, and unparalleled security.

Who has access to the online directory? Access to the online directory is restricted to members of the following groups: Purdue Alumni Association, President's Council, Chancellor's Council, John Purdue Club and Varsity P Club. Purdue Retirees will also have access to the online directory.

What if I do not want to share all my personal information in the online directory? To select the information that will be displayed about you in the online directory, go to "My Options." In the middle of the page is a heading titled "My Information Flags." The checkboxes that appear underneath this heading determine what information will be shared about you in the online directory. To select to share additional information, simply click the checkbox next the appropriate category. To hide information about yourself, un-check the checkbox next to the appropriate category.

Who do I contact if I am having difficulty with the Purdue-alumni Web Community? For help, please email the Purdue-alumni Web Community Administrator at alumniemail@purdue.edu In order for us to better assist you, please include your first and last name, and the last four digits of your social security number in your email.

Privacy and Usage Policy for the Purdue-alumni Web Community Purdue University and the Purdue Alumni Association are committed to preserving the privacy of Purdue alumni, friends, and the users of the Purdue e-alumni Web Community through this site. Alumni and business services in this area include the Online Alumni Directory, Lifetime Email Forwarding, Mentor/Career Services, and Online Giving. Alumni and friends of the University can also update their personal biographic information. Graduating students will have access to email forwarding service and Mentor/Career services. Registration Information Our site's login form requires you to give us contact information (such as name and email address), unique identifiers (last four social security numbers and password hint) and demographic information (date of birth). We use your contact information from the form to send you information about the Alumni Association and Purdue University You may opt out of receiving mailings; to do so, please send an email to alumniemail@purdue.edu. Unique identifiers Unique identifiers are collected to verify your identity and to use as account numbers in our record system. Demographic and profile data also are collected at our site. We use this data to tailor your experience while visiting our site, and to display content in which you may be interested. The data you provide may also affect the information you receive via email or US mail. Our site uses cookies to associate users with a session. Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. If your browser is set to refuse cookies, you will not be able to take full advantage of the Web site. Additionally, we use your IP address to administer our Web site and report statistics regarding use. The information collected on this site will not be used for any commercial or philanthropic purpose not directly connected with or approved by Purdue University or the Purdue Alumni Association. Online Directory Use The Purdue Alumni Association and the University have taken all reasonable precautions to secure the information available through this Directory. Though the Directory authenticates all users through a password-protected system, which should effectively protect any personal information available through this Directory from abuse and outside interference, a certain degree of privacy risk is faced any time information is shared over the Internet. All users have the opportunity to change their preferences for displaying information in this Directory via the 'My Options' feature available from the menu selections in the left frame of the application. This directory is for official Purdue University and Purdue Alumni Association use, and also for individual communication of a personal nature between individuals who register. Use of this directory for any other purpose, including, but not limited to, reproducing and storing in a retrieval system by any means electronic or mechanical, and/or copying or using the addresses or other information contained in this directory for private, commercial or political mailings is strictly prohibited and is in direct violation of copyright rules and constitutes misappropriation of corporate property. If you suspect misuse, please contact alumniemail@purdue.edu. Please provide information regarding the nature of the misuse and any relative information. The University reserves the right to deny access to the Directory to anyone who violates this agreement. The information contained in this Directory is based on data that the University and the Purdue Alumni Association has received from University records and/or information and advice volunteered by individuals. Purdue University and the Purdue Alumni Association do not guarantee the accuracy of the information or advice contained in any of these pages, and are not liable for any inaccuracies contained herein. Email Forwarding Email forwarding is a service provided by the Purdue Alumni Association to facilitate communication among the Purdue family. Certain uses are not in compliance with this purpose, including but not limited to 1) activities that are illegal or fraudulent; 2) use that inaccurately implies endorsement, approval, or sponsorship by Purdue; (3) use that can be confused with official communications of Purdue or its officers; (4) mass mailings (sometimes known as spamming). Purdue University and the Purdue Alumni Association will deny further access to the secure portion of its web site to those who engage in these or similar practices. While the University collects email addresses, they are used for sending out future information via email. The email address is not disclosed to third parties without prior approval of Purdue University and/or the Purdue Alumni Association. No email is read or censored through the email forwarding system. The information provided on this site has been provided by various sources and is intended to be current and accurate; however, we cannot and do not warrant or guarantee it as such. This site is for informational purpose only. Purdue University and the Purdue Alumni Association are not liable for any direct or indirect, special, incidental or consequential losses or damages arising out of the use or misuse of this site or the content of any message sent by or to site users. Last updated on September 8, 2008