Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): What You Need to Know
To better protect staff accounts and school data, we are introducing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all Office 365 faculty and staff accounts. MFA adds a second step when signing in, usually a quick approval on your phone, making it much harder for unauthorized users to access your account, even if a password is compromised.
The setup is simple and only takes a few minutes.
Please follow the steps in the guide attached by the end of this week Friday January 16th 2026. Come Monday, January 19th 2026, MFA will be turned on for all Staff and Faculty Accounts.
What You’ll Do (Overview of the Setup Guide)
- Install the Microsoft Authenticator app
Download the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone (iOS or Android). This will be your primary verification method. - Visit the MFA setup page
On a computer, go to https://aka.ms/mfasetup and sign in with your school email and password. - Set up your sign-in method
Choose the Authenticator app (recommended), scan the QR code, and approve the test notification to complete setup. - Add a backup method (strongly recommended)
Add a secondary phone number or SMS option in case you change or lose your phone. - Know what to expect when signing in
After setup, you’ll sign in as usual and occasionally approve a prompt on your phone, especially on new devices or when off campus.
📄 Need help?
A step-by-step visual guide and short video walkthrough are available in the MFA Guide, and IT support is available if you need assistance at any point.