Help Desk?

The University decided that we need more secure passwords to access the servers. So after two months of emails preparing us for this momentous change, it finally happened on Monday. We were all informed (at least 20 times) what our temporary passwords would be and then how to log in and change it to our new super secure password. Then we received at least another 25 emails telling us how to create a "very strong" password. Essentially, you just need to push at least 12 characters on the keyboard randomly and then try to remember it! Seriously, the requirements were: Has to be at least 12 characters. Has to start with a letter. Can only have 5 letters. Needs a special character. And no letter or number sequences should contain identifying information about you. And be sure to not write it down! Geez. How am I suppose to remember a password like that!

Well, after spending way more time then it should developing a secure password, I am prepared for the change. Monday morning I log into my computer. Type in my temporary password. Access Denied. Type it in again. Access Denied. Try different ways of typing it in. Access Denied. Wish I could just turn my computer off and go home..... Finally, I call the IT help desk. Listen to a message about the change in passwords. Select the option to talk to someone. Get an awful message saying their hours are from 8-5. So I have to wait 15 minutes. Really wish I could turn off my computer and go home. I can't access anything without the password. Finally, it's 8:00. I call back. The help desk guy, starts asking me a bunch of questions about how I entered in the temporary password. I explained to him that for the last half hour I have been trying to enter it in. So, he tries it, "Yep, doesn't work." Duh. Then he explains that they originally planned a reset password for when the temporary password doesn't work. But it's not working. I say to myself, "Hmmm, they have been planning this for months now and they just found out that it doesn't work." I explain to this guy that I have to get into at least my email because my job depends on it. "Well, we are working on it. I will call you back when we get it to work." Now, I really really wish I could just turn off my computer and go home.

I wait patiently until after lunch. This is ridiculous. I call back. I explain my situation to the new help desk guy. He explained that they still haven't been able to reset passwords. It seems to just be affecting students. I say, "Well I'm not a student." He says, "Oh, the problem must be bigger than we thought." No kidding. He then asks me if I've ever been a student at Utah State. I say no. Then he asks me if I've ever taken classes at Utah State. Isn't that what he just asked? I say no. He starts taking down my information. "What is an email address we could reach you at when we fix this problem." I reply, "Well, I can give you my email address but until you fix the passwords, I can't check my email!" He replies, "Oh, that's right. Well, let's try reseting it again." While we are waiting for his computer to process, he asks me yet another brilliant question, "So, do employees get spring break off?" I wanted to say,"Yep, I just love my work so much, that I work when I don't have to!" But instead, I politely said, "No, but at least we get Christmas break." Luckily, he was able to reset my password. I guess the first guy didn't know how to do it.

Sorry to ramble but my question is, does the help desk need help? Seriously, could they have been any less helpful?