change network user password from local account

Is it possible to change the password for a network user account from a local user? I currently have my users set up as local accounts on their computers and I'm in the midst of copying old file shares from a Mac OS 9 server to our new XServe... I'd like to be able to set up new accounts on the XServe, copy their files over from the old server to the new, and let them then change their password from the local account they already log in as. Am I making sense? Is the only way to accomplish this to set up directory access on their computers and have them actually log in as their network user account and change their password? sounds easy enough, but I was hoping or a way that wouldn't involve me visiting each computer... thanks!