SOLAR at Stony Brook University: A Comprehensive Guide

Stony Brook University utilizes SOLAR as its enterprise-wide, self-service system, granting faculty, staff, and students online access to manage personal information and various university-related tasks. This article provides a comprehensive overview of SOLAR, covering its functionalities, access procedures, and recent updates.

What is SOLAR?

SOLAR is Stony Brook University's primary administrative system. It is a self-service system providing faculty, staff, and students with online access to manage personal information.

For Students: Students use SOLAR to register for classes, print schedules, view and pay bills, update personal contact information, view transcripts, and submit student employment timesheets.
For Faculty and Staff: Faculty and staff utilize SOLAR to update personal information, view vacation/sick accruals, print class rosters, submit grades, and more.

Accessing SOLAR

To log in to SOLAR, you'll need your 9-digit Stony Brook ID Number, also known as a Campus ID, Employee ID, or SOLAR ID, and your SOLAR password.

In a browser, go to stonybrook.edu/solar.
Click SOLAR LOGIN.
Sign in to SOLAR with your Stony Brook ID# (9 digits) and SOLAR password.

New Employees: Your Stony Brook ID Number is generated during the onboarding process.

Prospective Students: Prospective students are assigned a Stony Brook ID number when they apply to the University.

Admitted Students: Admitted students receive their Stony Brook ID number in their official letter of acceptance and during orientation.

Navigating SOLAR

The SOLAR Home Page provides access to various functions, including:

Security and Personal Data
Emergency Contacts
Payroll and Compensation (for employees)

To sign out, near the top right corner, select Sign out.

Managing Your Paycheck in SOLAR

Employees can access their paycheck information through SOLAR.

Log in to SOLAR with your Stony Brook ID number and password at www.stonybrook.edu/solar.

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In the For Employee section, select "Payroll and Compensation."
The Payroll and Compensation menu offers two options:
- View State Paycheck Summary: This provides a summary of your paychecks, allowing you to see up to 103 entries. Click "Detail" to view more information for a particular payroll period.
- View Paycheck: This provides a PDF file of your actual pay stub.

Updating Emergency Contact Information

In case of an emergency, the University needs to know who to contact on your behalf. You can add and update your emergency contacts in SOLAR.

From the SOLAR Home Page, under Security and Personal Data, click Emergency Contacts (if you don’t see Emergency Contacts, click more and then click Emergency Contacts).
Click Add an Emergency Contact to add a contact.
Then complete the Emergency Contact Detail page.

SOLAR Account & Password Help

SOLAR passwords are different from NetID passwords. If you're logging in to SOLAR for the first time, use your initial SOLAR password.

To reset your SOLAR password:

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Go to the SOLAR login screen and click SOLAR Account & Password Help.
You will be asked to verify the information necessary to authenticate you, so that you can access the password reset tool.
After authenticating, you will be given the option to select your SOLAR account and then proceed with creating the password.
The password requirements will be displayed on the page when creating the new password.

If you are a new member of the University and you receive the Invalid ID Number error message, you may need to set up Challenge Questions within your SOLAR account.

To set up Challenge Questions:

Log into your SOLAR account.
Please select Security and Personal Data, then select Challenge Questions Set Up. The Password Reset Tool uses your own information as authentication methods, and keeping your information updated is best practice.

SOLAR Updates: A Fresh Look and Improved Accessibility

SOLAR is undergoing a phased update to improve its user experience and accessibility.

Phase I: A Fresh Look for SOLAR

Launching: September 29th, 2025
This phase focuses on giving the SOLAR system a modern and user-friendly update. You'll notice a refreshed look and feel with improved navigation, making it easier to find what you need.

Phase II: Improved Accessibility and Mobile Access

Rolling Updates: Fall 2025 & Spring 2026
The next phase will focus on making Campus Solutions truly flexible and accessible. Pages in Campus Solutions will be updated to be fully responsive and accessible on any device. Whether you're using a computer, tablet, or phone, the system will adapt seamlessly to your screen.

SB Alert Emergency Information

Make sure you tell us how to alert you when there's an emergency, immediate threat, or impending situation on campus. Or elect not to receive these alerts. Go to the SOLAR login screen and click SOLAR Account & Password Help.

Additional Information

You cannot edit or change your Campus address in SOLAR.
"Next in List" brings you to the next record in the search result list.
You may see the word "Processing" blinking in the right upper corner of the window.
Some fields have a magnifying glass (Lookup button) next to them.
If you have not been issued a campus address or your account has been disabled (e.g., you have graduated and left the campus), communications will be sent to the "Home" address first (if one has been entered), or "Other" automatically.

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