FERPA for Families

When your student was in high school, most likely you were able to jump online and see missing assignments, check a grade after a big bio test, and view absences. You might have even had a daily message sent directly to your inbox about your student’s academic performance. You had access to your student’s educational records because of FERPA, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act. However, now that your student is entering college, the rights that allowed you access to your student’s educational record are now transferred to your student.

According to FERPA, regardless of their age, college students are allowed to determine who will receive access to their educational records. This generally means that families do not have direct access to their student’s grades or academic standing.  As an institution, we know this can be frustrating for families, especially families who are offering financial support to their student.

Our advice is to start having conversations with your student sooner rather than later. Discussing your expectations is very important, but it is also important to help the student develop independence. Find a common ground where both you and your student feel comfortable. For some families, that may mean your student notifies you when a course grade drops below a C.  For other families, it may mean that the student shares an academic update once midterm grades are posted. Determine what works best for your family knowing that what works for some may not work for others.

Another resource available to students and families is Person Proxy in MUHUB, Marian University’s Student Information System. Person Proxy allows students to grant individuals such as a parent or guardian, spouse, family member, or third-party agent access to certain aspects of their MUHUB account. Your student can grant you Proxy access to allow you to view billing information, financial aid information, and/or student grade information.  Visit our website to learn more about Person Proxy, including a step-by-step guide on how to set it up.