IT Extends Session Times in Okta, Canvas

Members of the JMU community may notice a decrease in the number of times they are prompted to log in to the Okta Dashboard (mylogin.jmu.edu) and Canvas.

Information Technology recently lengthened the inactivity timeout periods to 4 hours for the Okta Dashboard (mylogin.jmu.edu) and Canvas. Previously, anyone who used these systems experienced a timeout that required them to authenticate again after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Although this change will reduce the number of times you must sign in or respond to an Okta Verify push in these systems, it’s important to note that the setting only applies to the same browsing session, so if you close your browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and come back later, you’ll need to log in again.

Information Technology continues to evaluate all Okta settings and will keep you informed of any changes in the future. When making decisions, many factors are considered including your feedback, Okta recommendations, and industry best practices. If you would like to provide feedback on your Okta experience, we would enjoy hearing from you. Please send your feedback to helpdesk@jmu.edu.

Employees who want to improve system login times should note that Yubikey devices are available at the IT Help Desk. The devices typically provide a faster login experience than your phone, especially if you tend to keep your phone in your pocket, desk, a bag, etc. Visit our knowledge base article on how to obtain a Yubikey.