Access Requests, Data Sync, Account Deletion Requests

Handshake Sync

As of June 2026, IT shifted how the information feed connects to Handshake to ensure we were fully aligned with the University's current security and data privacy standards.

Data mapping was reviewed to ensure Dual Majors & Degree Levels feed into Handshake accurately. Especially for students at the graduate level, their degree level should now be accurately reflected in Handshake. For students pursuing double majors across different colleges, the new feed will provide multiple system label names so Handshake can correctly recognize and display both areas of study.

Note: If the student has one or both of the colleges or labels, they can register for the event. So if a student has two system labels, it should not prevent them from registering for an event that may only require one of those labels. Majors map to major groups, but there is no connection or mapping between college and major. 

Handshake Carlson access

GBCC students migrated to Handshake starting May of 2022. Ben Sietsima (IT in SUA) worked on the logic and ran test sets of syncs with the GBCC team before going live.

Requests to Delete Accounts

We only delete student accounts in the case of a student death. To do so, contact Becky Hall, who will verify the request with Ben Sietsema with UMN Student Affairs IT (osait@umn.edu).

For all other account deleting requests, we archive the account and select ‘Exclude from Automatic Syncs.’

Student Access Requests - CSA

Checking frequency 

• For office assistants in Career Services Administration: once per shift

• When office assistants are unavailable to support, CSA staff will handle these requests:

  • • 2-3x / week. 

    • Daily May-Jun, mid-Aug-Sept, late-Jan-Feb. 

Note: All other offices should ignore account requests inside of Handshake. 

Finding Requests in Handshake

Click on the person icon in upper-right corner of screen.

Scan email addresses.

• • Look up the person’s name in APLUS if the email address is a Non UMN email address like gmail or yahoo. Students and Alumni are able to use their personal (preferred) email address to log in so these must be checked.

Review the remaining requests individually by clicking onto the requestor’s name. There will be two types of requests, access requests and re-activation requests:

Access requests

• Search for the student using their x500 (first part of their email address before the @ sign)

  • Note, if you include system campus email endings in your search (i.e. @d.umn.edu or @crk.umn.edu) you won’t find the student even if they have an active account. System campus students all show up with @umn.edu emails in Handshake even if their actual email has a system campus ending.

• If you find the student, is their Handshake account showing as active in the student’s account details? 

  • Yes

    • This means the student has logged in using the incorrect portal. Send the student the active account email template and decline the request.

  • No

    • Look them up in APLUS. Are they an active, degree-seeking student or alumni who has received a degree?* (you may need to look both at their overview page and their academics page to see whether they are actively enrolled in classes)

      • Yes: Add them to Handshake. In Handshake, under ‘Students’ in the black toolbar on the left, go to ‘Manage’ and find the box that says ‘Add existing student email…’ Type in the student’s email and select ‘Add User.’ Then send the student the email template that they now have an active account and decline their request (they need to login through the correct portal).

      • No: Send them the email template that they do not have access to Handshake and decline their request

      • *Student has been admitted, but has not yet enrolled in classes: send them the email template that they will have access once they enroll in classes

      • *Student has enrolled in classes, but does not yet have Handshake access: wait a few days and check back to see if their account has been added. If not, add them to Handshake. In Handshake, under ‘Students’ in the black toolbar on the left, go to ‘Manage’ and find the box that says ‘Add existing student email…’ Type in the student’s email and select ‘Add User.’ Then send the student the email template that they now have an active account and decline their request (they need to login through the correct portal).

      • *Student recently graduated (this happens in December/January and May): They are likely in “limbo”, waiting for their college to clear their degree (CLA, CSOM, and UMD most frequently have this issue). Wait a couple of days to see if their account is reactivated. 

        • If yes, then send the email template ‘you now have access’, and decline their original request.

        • If no, then send them the email template that their college needs to clear their degree and then they’ll have access again.

• If you are unable to see them in Handshake by searching their name, then look them up in APLUS (you may need to look both at their overview page and their academics page to see whether they are actively enrolled in classes). Are they an active, degree-seeking student or alumni who has received a degree?*

  • Yes: Add them to Handshake. Under Students go to Manage and find the box that says ‘Add existing student email…’ Type in the student’s email and select ‘Add User.’ Then send the student the email template that they now have an active account and decline their request (they need to login through the correct portal).

  • No: Send them the email template that they do not have access to Handshake and decline their request

  • *Student has been admitted, but has not yet enrolled in classes: send them the email template that they will have access once they enroll in classes

  • *Student has enrolled in classes, but does not yet have Handshake access: wait a few days and check back to see if their account has been added. If not, add them to Handshake. In Handshake, under ‘Students’ in the black toolbar on the left, go to ‘Manage’ and find the box that says ‘Add existing student email…’ Type in the student’s email and select ‘Add User.’ Then send the student the email template that they now have an active account and decline their request (they need to login through the correct portal).

  • *Student recently graduated (this happens in December/January and May): They are likely in “limbo”, waiting for their college to clear their degree (CLA, CSOM, and UMD most frequently have this issue). Wait a couple of days to see if their account is reactivated. 

    • If yes, then send the email template ‘you now have access’, and decline their original request.

    • If no, then send them the email template that their college needs to clear their degree and then they’ll have access again.

Reactivation requests

Look at the request for more details (usually they say something). Then, click on their name, and verify that their account is archived. 

• • If not archived, send them the active account email template (they need to login through the correct portal), and decline the request.

  • If archived, look up the user in APLUS. 

    • • When was their last term of enrollment? 

        • • If they are an active student or alumni with a degree*, approve their request.

          • If they just graduated, then, they are likely in “limbo”, waiting for their college to clear their degree (CLA, CSOM, and UMD most frequently have this issue). Wait a couple of days to see if their account is reactivated (aka, no longer archived). 

            1. • If yes, then send the email template ‘you now have access’, and decline their original request.

               • If no, then send them the email template that their college needs to clear their degree and then they’ll have access again.

          • If earlier than the 2 previous terms (or no academic record), send the requestor the email template that they do not have access. Then, proceed to decline the original request.

          • Sometimes, alumni requests can come in for those whose accounts have been dormant with the U for a longer period of time. 

  • From the HS Access Request folder, send the email with the subject line: “Handshake Access Request - Alumni”

  • Go back to the original request, and decline it.

  • You will also need to ask Becky to request that 1-HELP’s team re-sync that user’s account so that when they’re updated, and try to login, they’re able to actually login to Handshake.

• Occasionally, requests come in via 1-HELP, and not the Handshake platform - these are rare. Most are either:

  • • Alumni who need to update their access to UMN systems, or

    • Students who’ve transferred from another Handshake client school. Once verified (by you), that they should have access to Handshake through looking them up within APLUS, go to: Manage Students in Handshake’s left-navigation. On the top navigation, there is a field to add students by email address. Type in their UMN email address, and they will be synced and active within Handshake.