Student Tech Support

Your username, student ID number and Sierra College email address will be sent to the personal email address from your application for admission to Sierra College. We refer to this as the “welcome” email. This email can take up to 48 hours to receive.

• If more than 48 hours have passed and you have not received your welcome email, please check your spam/junk folder or search your email for the word “Sierra.”
• If you are unable to find/access that email, contact Admissions and Records to inquire about the status of your application for admission.
• If you have not yet applied for admission for the term you are trying to enroll in, please visit How to Apply.

You will need the information included in your welcome email to reset your password. Once you receive it, use our password reset tool. Please review the Student Password Reset Instructions to change your password.

Below is a list of the most common issues current students experience when logging in to Sierra College systems and how to fix them:

1. Website shows “Session Timeout” or “Session Cannot be Established”
Follow the steps in the accordion below titled “Clear Your Browser Cache.”

2. Log in says “This username may be incorrect. Make sure you typed it correctly. Otherwise, contact your admin. Refer to your “Welcome to Sierra” email for your Sierra College email address.

3. Log in says “Your account or password is incorrect. If you don’t remember your password, reset it now. Please note that entering multiple incorrect passwords will lock your account. If you are unsure of your password, please reset it.

4. If you are not receiving a Multifactor Authentication (MFA) code, please answer these questions:

• Have you recently switched to a new phone?
  If you use the authenticator app and have switched to a new/different phone, your account will need to be reset using the MFA Reset Form. The authenticator app is device specific, and even though the app may port over to your new phone, the connection to your account is broken.
• Have you recently changed your phone number?
  If you use your phone number for texted log in codes and have updated your phone number in mySierra, only your student record has been updated. Complete a MFA Reset Form to update your phone number on your account security.
• Have you recently denied a log in on the authenticator app? 

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, your MFA account will need to be reset by a Student Tech Support representative. Please complete a MFA Reset Form for assistance.

5. Do you attend multiple schools?
If you see a log in error that shows your saved log in for another school, use a private/incognito browser or a different browser altogether for your Sierra College log in. Otherwise, you may see an error message that includes a: Request ID, Correlation ID, Timestamp, Message and a user account that looks something like this: username@otherschool.edu does not exist in tenant ‘Sierra College’ and cannot access the application.

If you have not attended classes at Sierra College for one or more semesters, you will need to reapply for admission to reactivate your account. Please visit How to Apply.

If you are attempting to order transcripts, there is no need to login to your former account. Please follow the instructions on Transcripts.

As a student at Sierra College, you will be using a variety of technology. Safe computing starts with password security. Please consider the following tips to keep you safe from possible threats:

• Never share your password with anyone.
• Do not enter your password on anything other than our log in pages. There are detrimental security issues with phishing emails that will request your usernames and passwords to your accounts – DON’T FALL FOR IT!
• Create a complex password that you can remember and is unique to you. Passphrases are recommended when possible. For example: Ilove2walkintheraininMay! 
• Create different passwords for different applications.
• Update your password from time to time.
• Don’t forget to log out. Leaving your account open is just as dangerous as sharing your password. Take time to make sure you are fully logged out of all online applications and browsers.
• Test the strength of your password. LastPass, a leading password manager vendor, provides a secure utility to test the strength of your password and provides suggestions for improving its strength.

Need to reset your password?

• Password Reset Tool
• Watch Video on How to Reset Password

Passwords Requirements

• Must be 15 to 32 characters, including at least one uppercase and one lowercase letter, and at least one number.
• It cannot contain your username, first name, middle name, or last name.
• It cannot be the same as one of your last 25 passwords or passphrases.

Caches are small stores of temporary data in your browser from the websites you visit. If they get too large, they can cause issues when you login or click on links in mySierra or Canvas.

Common issues include:

• Username/password not found error
• Session timeout error

These caches of data are essentially junk files and they can be safely deleted to free up storage space. Clearing the browser cache can also help to resolve issues and improve the performance of your device by removing temporary files. This process will not delete your passwords, files or settings.

Please use the Clearing Browser History instructions for your preferred browser(s) on a PC, Mac or mobile device. Items to note:

• If you are using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge: Be sure to change the time frame to “all time” when clearing the cache.

• If you are using a Mac: Be sure to “quit” the browser after clearing the cache.

• If you are using a mobile device, you must force stop the app from running (swipe up on active apps to shut it down).

• If you are experiencing this error using the Sierra College app, please use a web browser instead (i.e., Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari).  

• All browsers and devices: You must completely close out all browser windows for the cache to completely clear from your browser. Simply open a new session and try again once all windows have been closed (or “Quit” on a Mac).

Since Fall 2021, all Sierra College students are required to be enrolled in Multifactor Authentication (MFA), requiring additional verification along with passwords for logging in from off-campus.

NOTE: Never share your MFA code with anyone, not even someone posing as a Sierra College employee.

If you are not receiving a Multifactor Authentication (MFA) code, please answer these questions:

1. Have you recently switched to a new phone?
   If you use the authenticator app and have switched to a new/different phone, your account will need to be reset using the MFA Reset Form. The authenticator app is device specific, and even though the app may port over to your new phone, the connection to your account is broken.
2. Have you recently changed your phone number?
   If you use your phone number for texted log in codes and have updated your phone number in mySierra, only your student record has been updated. Complete a MFA Reset Form to update your phone number on your account security.
3. Have you recently denied a log in on the authenticator app?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, your MFA account will need to be reset by a Student Tech Support representative. Please complete a MFA Reset Form for assistance.

4. Do you attend multiple schools?
If you see a log in error that shows your saved log in for another school, use a private/incognito browser or a different browser altogether for your Sierra College log in. Otherwise, you may see an error message that includes a: Request ID, Correlation ID, Timestamp, Message and a user account that looks something like this: username@otherschool.edu does not exist in tenant ‘Sierra College’ and cannot access the application.

Free Wi-Fi at Sierra College. We can help connect phones and laptops to the Sierra College Wi-Fi networks at our three campuses. We can also help figure out the cause of an issue and provide advice on what steps to take to remedy an issue.

• Guest/Public Network
  Free public Wi-Fi is available at our Rocklin, Nevada County and Tahoe-Truckee campuses on the Sierra-WiFi network. No log in required. Just click “Continue as a Guest” and accept the terms of use to browse online instantly.
• Secure Network for Students and Employees
  Sierra College students and employees can connect to the Sierra-WiFi network using their mySierra username and password. Follow the Connect to Sierra Wi-Fi instructions to join.
  • Stay connected longer: Once you sign in, your credentials will be securely remembered – no need to re-log in every time you return to campus.

Contact us via live chat or email studenttechsupport@sierracollege.edu if you need any help.

Students needing access to Adobe applications, such as Creative Cloud apps, have the option to purchase the software for their personal devices or to use a remote lab connection to access this software installed on campus computers.

Purchase Option: Student discounts for this software are available through the College Buys website. Financial assistance may be available; please contact the Financial Aid office for voucher eligibility.

Remote Lab Option: Current students – please refer to the “Remote Computer Lab” section in the accordion further below.

SPECIAL NOTE: Adobe requires all users to have an “Adobe ID” to use their software applications. If you do not already have an Adobe ID, please use these Adobe instructions to create one using your PERSONAL email address. Please do NOT use your Sierra College email address as after you stop taking classes with us, you will not have access to reset any of your account settings/permissions with Adobe.

Using Canvas for New Students:

• Get your personal device ready for your Canvas class(es) by watching this Canvas tutorial video.
• Use a compatible browser. You should always use the most current version of your preferred browser. Your browser will notify you if there is a new version available.
• Allow third party cookies for Canvas. You will not be able to access all the content in your online classes until you allow third party cookies for the Canvas website.
• Disable pop-up blockers for Canvas. Some content may not be viewable until you disable pop-up blockers for Canvas.

Access Classes in Canvas: 

• Start dates. If your class is not showing up in your Dashboard, check the term dates for the class on the Class Schedule. In most cases, classes will not show up on your dashboard until the start date. If the start date has already passed, please reach out to the instructor directly.
• Favorite your courses. You might need to “favorite” your courses for them to appear on your Canvas Dashboard. Do this using the full web/desktop version (not the mobile app). You can also remove a course from your dashboard.
• Still seeing a class from a previous term? If you do not want to see previous courses on your Dashboard, please use the instructions above to favorite the classes you want to see and deselect (un-favorite) the classes you do not want to see.
• If you are on a waitlist for a class, you will not have access to it in Canvas until you are fully enrolled in the class. Reach out to the instructor for an add code to complete your enrollment.

Tools in Canvas:

• Canvas Inbox. This is a tool for you to communicate with your instructor and classmates. To email with other Sierra College departments, such as Financial Aid, Counseling, Admissions, etc., please use the Check My Email link on the Home tab in mySierra.
• Respondus Lockdown Browser for test proctoring. Your instructor will provide you with instructions to use this program for test proctoring.
  • Install Respondus/LockDown Browser for Sierra College using this link: https://download.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?id=931437366
  • For support with the test proctoring software, please use Responds/Lockdown Browser troubleshooting support link.
• Use Canvas Studio for video assignments. Canvas has a built-in feature for you to record videos using your webcam, screen capture, or both. When you use Canvas Studio, your videos are saved in Canvas and can easily be submitted to a Discussion Board or Assignment by clicking on the Canvas Studio icon.

Frequently Asked Questions and Additional Resources

• Please review these frequently asked questions about attending classes remotely.
• Sierra College Student Guides for Using Canvas
• Everything you need to know about Canvas (Help Guides from Canvas)
• How to Use Canvas Student App

• Use your Sierra College email address and password to access Microsoft Office 365 license. We do not license personal email addresses. Please be sure you are logged in with Sierra College to access your available applications.
• You can log in to https://portal.office.com to use the web version of Microsoft Office 365 applications, or
  download and install Microsoft Office 365 on your computer using these instructions.
• Sierra College students have 1T (one terabyte) of storage in OneDrive through Microsoft Office 365. OneDrive is similar to Google Drive, with more storage available for free and secured by your log in (to include MFA).

Rocklin Campus

The Learning Commons Computer Lab at the Rocklin campus is located on the second floor of the Library (LR building). The lab has more than 80 computers, including several iMacs, for student use.

• View library hours
• Printing machines available to students in the Learning Commons Lab (black and white prints only)

Nevada County Campus

The Learning Commons at the Nevada County Campus is located in the Library (N6 building). The lab has more than 35 computers, including some iMacs, for student use.

• View library hours
• Printing machines available to students in the Learning Commons Lab (black and white prints only)

Some classes at Sierra College require the use of Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Creative Cloud or other software. Most course-required software is installed on the computers in the Learning Commons labs.

• If you have a Mac or Chromebook, you may not be able to access the version of software required for your classes.
• If you are not able to come to campus to use our software, connect from home using the Access Campus Computers Remotely instructions.

While using the remote lab, please be aware of the following:

• Each time you login to the remote lab, you will be connected to a remote computer at random. Please do not save your files to the remote computer. Use your OneDrive (see instructions in the Microsoft Office 365 accordion above) or Adobe Library to save files, or submit them directly to Canvas.
• Microsoft Access database files do not save properly to cloud storage, like OneDrive. It is best to physically use a PC (non-Mac, non-Chromebook) for Microsoft Access.

To access your student email, you will need to have a method of Multifactor Authentication (MFA) on your account by using either an authenticator app or your phone number. You will not be able to access your Sierra College student email without one of these methods.

• If you have not added a method for MFA to your account, please follow the Enable MFA for Account Instructions.
• If you have added a method for MFA to your account, but cannot access your email, please report MFA issue to Sierra College.

You can access your Sierra College student email a few ways:

1. Log in to mySierra and click on first link that is called “Check My Email” on the Home tab
2. Log in to Microsoft directly using your Sierra College login information
3. Add the Outlook app to your mobile phone, which you can download from your app/play store. Add your Sierra College email in this format: username@student.sierracollege.edu

Email Forwarding

We do not recommend forwarding your Sierra College email for a few reasons:

1. There is no guarantee that forwarded emails will be received by your personal email carrier; oftentimes they are blocked or the forward doesn’t complete.
2. The official form of communication at Sierra College is via your student email as it is a more secure way of communicating with students.
3. If you reply to an email that was sent to your student account but forwarded to your personal email, replies can only be accepted via your student email, not your personal account.

Canvas Inbox

Canvas has another communication tool for you using the Inbox. There, you can send and receive messages from your instructor and classmates. Other Sierra College departments, such as Financial Aid, Counseling, Admissions, etc., will use your Sierra College email that you access through mySierra to communicate with you.

• Printing is available in the Learning Commons Labs from Rocklin and Nevada County Campus computers (black and white only). Wireless or Bluetooth printing is not available.
• There is currently no charge for printing on campus. Please print responsibly.