Frequently Asked Questions: General Questions

See also: Instructor FAQs | Student FAQs

How do I connect to Blackboard?

Go to our UTHSC Blackboard login page.

Why do I have to enter my username and password twice every time I log on to Blackboard?

If you have to log in twice, it's because you are trying to enter Blackboard directly through the page where you type in your username and password. Instead, you should enter Blackboard via http://courses.utmem.edu. If you go to this page, click the Login button, and then enter your user name and password on the next page, it will be accepted the first time.

If you have Blackboard bookmarked, make sure that your bookmark is set to http://courses.utmem.edu, NOT http://courses.utmem.edu/webapps/login. You can either make a new bookmark or edit the one you already have.

What do I need to do if I’ve forgotten my password?

To reset a forgotten password:

  1. Go to courses.utmem.edu and click the Login button.
  2. On the next page, click the “Forgot your password?” link, located under the password field and to the left of the Login button.
  3. On the next page, fill out either section 1 or section 2 and click Submit. Do not do both. Please note the first name and last name fields are case-sensitive. You MUST type them in with the first letter of each name uppercased and all other letters lowercased in order for Blackboard to recognize your account. Ex. Barry Rose.
  4. An email will be sent to the address that is associated with your Blackboard account. In the email click the link to go to the password reset page.
  5. On the password reset page provide a password twice and click Submit.
  6. Go back to courses.utmem.edu and log in.
  7. Please send a help request to bb@utmem.edu if this procedure does not work.

How Do I Change my existing password?

To Change your password (you must already know the password to do this, and remember that Changing your NetID password does NOT automatically change your Bb password -or vice versa):

  1. Log on to Blackboard.
  2. Click the Personal Information link under the Tools section on the left side of the page and choose Change Password. (If you are already in a Blackboard course, click the Tools button on the course menu and choose the Personal Information link and then Change Password.)
  3. Provide a password of your choice twice and then click Submit.
  4. Log out and log back in with the new password to test it.

How can I get my Blackboard user name changed?

If your Blackboard user name matches your NetID, it cannot be changed. Similarly, if your user name does not match your NetID but your existing account is enrolled in courses where you have taken assessments, it cannot be changed, as this would erase all of your grades. If your NetID changes, please contact Keisha Z. Houston at 8-1927 to have your user name changed.

Why am I getting a “not found (404)” or “bad request” error when I try to open a document attached to a discussion board posting?

Check the document’s title for a pound sign (#) or percentage sign (%). While you can attach these documents to a discussion board posting with no problem, Blackboard will not be able to locate them for downloading or viewing. Ask the poster to remove these signs from the title and re-post it to the discussion board.

I can’t open PDF files. What should I do?

Download Adobe Reader. There is a “Get Adobe Reader” icon on Adobe’s home page that will take you to the download page.

Who should I contact for help if my problem is not addressed in the FAQs?

Instructors: First, check the online documentation on the previous page and the Online Manual. If you still have questions, contact your college's Blackboard “liaison” or , if you don’t have one, Keisha Z. Houston at bb@utmem.edu or 8-1927. Please include your NetID/Blackboard username and the title of the Blackboard course in question in any email correspondence.

Students: If you have a course-specific question (ex., “Where is the class syllabus located?”), contact your instructor. If you have a usage question (ex., “How do I reply to a thread in a discussion board forum?”), check the Blackboard student manual located in each Blackboard course in the Tools Section. If you are experiencing access problems or have other questions, contact Keisha Z. Houston at bb@utmem.edu or 8-1927. Please include your NetID/Blackboard username and the title of the Blackboard course in question in any email correspondence.

Why am I having problems accessing Blackboard off-campus?

There are a number of things that could be causing trouble. The tips below will help you to prevent or stop the most common problems.

Do

  • Set your pop-up blocker or firewall program to allow access to Blackboard (http://courses.utmem.edu).
  • Check your firewall's cookie control method if you can access certain parts of Blackboard but not others (consult your firewall program's documentation or customer service for help if necessary).
  • Check your browser if you suddenly cannot access Blackboard or any other web pages but could previously. Clear your browser’s cache and set your browser to update web pages every time you visit them (see steps below). After making these changes, close ALL browser windows and try accessing Blackboard again.
    1. In Internet Explorer (Windows): Go to the Tools menu and choose Internet Options. Click the Delete Files button in the “Temporary Internet Files" section. Then click the Settings button in the same section and choose the “Every visit to the page” option for “Check for newer version of the stored pages.” Close all IE windows in order for the changes to take effect.
    2. In Safari: Go to the Safari menu and choose Empty Cache. (I have not found a page update option in Safari.)
    3. In Firefox: Go to the Tools menu and choose Options. In the left frame, choose Privacy, and then highlight the Cache option in the right frame. Click its Clear button. (I have not found a page update option in Firefox.)

Do NOT

  • Use the browser that is included with AOL. Instead, log on to AOL to get your internet connection and then use the Internet Explorer or the Netscape Navigator that is installed on the computer separately from AOL. You may have an icon for these programs on your computer's desktop. If so, just double-click the icon, and this will open a browser window for you. If there is no icon for these programs on the desktop and you are on a Windows computer, then check the Start Menu (bottom left corner of screen) or the Programs folder, which is also located on the Start Menu. They may be listed there.
  • Store your AOL password. We have seen this cause problems with Blackboard.

Why am I having problems accessing web pages, even those I've accessed recently?

Check your browser if you suddenly cannot access Blackboard or any other web pages but could previously. Clear your browser’s cache and set your browser to update web pages every time you visit them (see steps below). After making these changes, close ALL browser windows and try accessing Blackboard again.

  1. In Internet Explorer (Windows): Go to the Tools menu and choose Internet Options. Click the Delete Files button in the “Temporary Internet Files" section. Then click the Settings button in the same section and choose the “Every visit to the page” option for “Check for newer version of the stored pages. ” Close all IE windows in order for the changes to take effect.
  2. In Safari: Go to the Safari menu and choose Empty Cache. (I have not found a page update option in Safari.)
  3. In Firefox: Go to the Tools menu and choose Options. In the left frame, choose Privacy, and then highlight the Cache option in the right frame. Click its Clear button. (I have not found a page update option in Firefox.)