Student Rights

As a member of the Northland College community, you are participating in an academic climate that seeks to foster the freedom to teach and the freedom to learn. The Bill of Rights guarantees certain rights to all citizens. The Northland academic community reasserts those rights as central to the concepts of academic freedom and individual dignity and worth.

The Right to Freedom of Association recognizes that you bring to Northland College a variety of interests, and you are encouraged to form associations to promote those interests. Campus organizations and facilities are open to you without respect to sex, age, race, creed, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin except for those religious qualifications required by organizations whose aims are primarily sectarian.

The Right to Freedom of Inquiry and Expression allows you to hold meetings, invite and hear speakers of your choosing, petition for redress of grievances, and peaceably demonstrate. Student publications exercise this freedom to the extent that they conform to the standards of responsible journalism.

The Right to Freedom of Religion and Conscience allows you to participate in or adhere to any doctrine, or personal faith or creed, as your conscience dictates.

Privacy of Student Records

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, is designed to protect the privacy of student records. Northland College conforms to the law regarding conditions under which confidential records will be released.

A student's academic file is maintained in the Registrar's Office. This file contains a permanent record of the courses students take and the credits they earn at Northland (in addition to those courses and credits accepted in transfer from other colleges) that contribute to a Northland degree; the type(s) of degrees awarded to students and when; and students' majors and any honors bestowed at graduation. The file also contains application forms, evaluations, and transcripts from other colleges and high schools. Test results such as ACT Assessment, SAT, and College Placement may also be included in the file.

Students may examine their files and view and/or challenge the contents thereof. Students must call in advance to make an appointment to examine their files. A special form must be completed at the time of the appointment.

Certain information, including confidential letters and confidential statements of recommendation placed in a file prior to January 1, 1975, may not be subjected to release to the student. This regulation is generally applicable to materials maintained in the Credential Files in the Student Development Office. Under special conditions, such as a court order, an exception can be made to this policy if professional documentation about a condition is submitted.

Grade reports are no longer sent to students. Students may access grades via The Bridge at www.northland.edu approximately one week after the term ends.

Directory information can be released to anyone on request without prior permission of the student, unless a written request to withhold such information is filed in the Registrar's Office during the add/drop period of each term.

Directory information includes: name, birthdate, all addresses (campus, campus post box, permanent, etc.), all telephone numbers (permanent/mailing and campus, etc.), Northland College e-mail address, previous educational institutions attended, major and/or minor field(s) of study, name of advisor, photos, participation in officially recognized activities/sports, class year/academic level, dates of attendance, current credit load, enrollment status, credit hours earned, honors awarded, degree(s) received, dates that degree(s) or honor(s) were received.

The two most common ways in which Northland College releases student directory information are:

1. Through the verification process of the Registrar’s Office or similar offices that have access to student records. The verification process verifies that a student is enrolled at the College by potential employers, credit agencies, insurance companies and others. Directory information as defined above may be made available through other offices with access to student records upon similar request.
2. The “Campus Directory” PDF file is available through the Northland College secure portal and on PubFiles. This database lists campus mailbox, campus phone, campus address, and home address information for students. Because it is on the secure portal and on PubFiles, it is available only to members of the campus community who have Northland computer accounts. It may also be released to the County Clerk for voter registration purposes. The public directory on the Northland College website makes available a student’s name, campus address, campus phone number, and campus e-mail address.

Campus Reporting and a Student's Right to Know

In compliance with federal regulations, Northland College publishes separate annual reports outlining student persistence and graduation rates and campus security policies, procedures, and crime statistics.

Under the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act, the College publishes procedures to report criminal actions or other emergencies occurring on campus, response policies to such reports, campus security and facilities issues, campus law enforcement, policies regarding illegal drugs and alcohol, and statistics on the occurrence of various criminal offenses.

The Campus Security Crime Report for Northland (and any other college/university) is available on the U.S. Department of Education college information Web site at: http://ope.ed.gov/security/Index.aspx.

Graduation and retention rates for Northland (and any other college/university) are available on the U.S. Department of Education college information Web site at: http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/.

Prospective students may also receive these reports by contacting the Admissions Office and asking for the Graduation Rates and/or Campus Security Reports.

Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA)

The College has available to current students, prospective students, and the public, upon request, a report in compliance with federal regulations outlining athletic participation rates, financial support, and other information on men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic programs at  Northland. The Athletic Department has this report available on October 1 each year. It is available electronically (along with other college/university EADA reports) at the U.S. Department of Education Web site at: http://ope.ed.gov/athletics/GetOneInstitutionData.aspx.