Parents Page

Introduction

We recognize that parents, particularly parents of undergraduates, provide a great deal of financial and emotional support to their children while they are students at Stanford. We encourage students to be in touch with their parents about the issues that face them while they are at Stanford whether those issues are personal, academic, or financial. Advice, counsel, and support from parents can frequently be a deciding factor in a student's academic progress at the University.

We also recognize, however, that Stanford students want to be treated like adults and to be given responsibilities that demonstrate that they can, indeed, be trusted with those responsibilities.

FERPA

In addition, the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 assigns to the student who is 18 years of age or older, not the parent, certain privacy rights regarding their educational record. In general, this means that students need to give their permission for the release of information about their educational record, even to release information to parents.

Under FERPA, the following pieces of information are considered "directory," or public, information. This means that the information can be released to anyone, including parents, without the student's permission. Students do have the right, however, to prevent the release of even directory information. If students have exercised their right not to have directory information released, the University may not release it, even to parents, without the student's permission. Directory information includes the following:

Name
Date of birth
Place of birth
Directory address and phone number
Electronic mail address
Mailing address
Campus office address (for graduate students)
Secondary mailing or permanent address
Residence assignment and room or apartment number
Specific quarters or semesters of registration at Stanford University
Stanford degree(s) awarded and dates
Major(s), minor(s), and field(s)
University degree honors
Institution attended immediately prior to Stanford University
ID card photographs (for University classroom use only)

All other information regarding a student is considered private and can be released only with the permission of the student. This includes information about courses in which the student is enrolled, grades received, locations of courses, academic standing information, financial aid information, student account information, etc.

Events of Interest to Parents

• Parents Weekend: February 22-23, 2008 (University Communications)
• Admit Weekend: April 24-27, 2008 (Undergraduate Admissions)
• Commencement Weekend: June 12-16, 2008 (Stanford Events)
• New Student Orientation: September 16-21, 2008 (Office of the Dean of Freshmen and Transfer Students)
• Homecoming: October 9-12, 2008 (Alumni Association)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Stanford mail grade reports to parents?

A: Grades for Stanford students are available on the Web in Axess, the University's student information system. Axess is a password protected system. Only your son or daughter will be able to look at grades in Axess. Stanford does not mail grades to students or parents. (Hint: When your son or daughter is home on vacation, ask him or her to sign on to Axess and show you the grades s/he has received. If they are not going to be home soon, have them send you a print out of their grades and send them to you.)

Q: My employer and insurance companies require proof that my child is attending Stanford in order to continue benefits and to get a good driver's discount. How can they get the proof that they need so that these benefits can continue?

A: Once the student has enrolled, s/he can generate the enrollment certificate on Axess.

Q: My child needs to be enrolled full-time in order to receive financial aid and to be eligible for some other benefits. What does it mean to be enrolled full-time?

A: Full-time enrollment is based on the number of units in which students are enrolled each quarter. For undergraduates, full-time enrollment is 12 or more units each quarter. For graduate students in master's and doctoral programs, full-time enrollment is 8 or more units each quarter.

Q: How do I find out my child's address and phone number at Stanford?

A: Address and phone number information is available on the Web at www.stanford.edu. Click the "people" button, key in the name, and hit the "Search" key. Address and phone information that the student has not designated as private will be presented to you.

Q: My child is going to be out of the country and needs to have some transcripts sent to graduate schools and potential employers. Can I request the transcript for my child?

A: Students' transcripts are considered private under FERPA. Therefore, only the student can request that transcripts be sent. Students may request transcripts through Axess while they are attending Stanford and for two years after their last quarter of attendance. Axess is available on the web; as long as a student can gain access to the web, s/he will be able to request transcripts through Axess.

Q: In case of a very critical family emergency, how would I be able to get in touch with my child as quickly as possible?

A: Stanford is a very big place, so finding people can be difficult. Cell phones can certainly make that task easier. If that does not work, the Stanford Police Department, the Dean of Students Office, or the Office of Residential Education would be able to assist you in a real emergency.

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