Academic Alerts reminder

As a reminder, instructors can use the Academic Alert system at any time during the semester to notify advisors that a student is struggling, which is not limited to midterm. In addition, APLUS now allows instructors to upload a spreadsheet to provide feedback to multiple students at once. A guide for academic alerts and using APLUS for instructors is available on the ASR website.

Fall 2021 appointment times

On Monday, March 22, registration appointment times were posted for students in MyU, with fall 2021 registration beginning on Monday, April 12. Students can find their appointment time by logging into MyU and selecting the "Academics" tab, then selecting the "Registration" sub-tab (how-to instructions are available). The registration times are available on One Stop.

To adjust an appointment time for a particular student, contact One Stop Student Services (onestop@umn.edu) with the student's internet ID, student ID, name, and campus.

Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds

The University continues to move forward with plans to distribute Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF), which includes the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), to students this spring. This round of funding includes:

• Block grants for undergraduate students with varying amounts of need demonstrated by Expected Family Contribution (EFC),
• Block grants for graduate and professional students who could not finish their program due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
• Funds to support undergraduate student success/degree completion, and
• Emergency Grant funds.

More information about CRRSAA can be found on the One Stop website.

Auto-enrolling from waitlists starts in April

On April 12, the process will begin for auto-enrolling students into classes for which they are on the waitlist. If you encounter any issues with waitlisting or the auto-enroll process, contact the ASR Office of Classroom Management at ocmsched@umn.edu. More information on how students can add themselves to a waitlist is available.

Emergency grant funds

We are continuing to accept emergency grant applications for the spring 2021 term. Students can email onestop@umn.edu with a request for emergency funds, and we will send the student an application. More information about emergency funds including eligibility criteria, as well as other helpful resources for students, can be found at Student emergency funds.

FERPA Q&A

Q: I am an adviser and an instructor is asking me questions about one of my students. What information can I release to an instructor?

A: An instructor's "need to know" the information they are requesting must be assessed when determining what student information can be shared. For example, if an instructor is teaching an upper-level course and is asking about a student's ability to successfully complete their course, or the student's performance in a prerequisite to the course they are teaching, the instructor has a legitimate need to know.

Conversely, if the instructor is asking about performance in a course unrelated to the course they are teaching, that information should not be released as the instructor does not have a true need to know. Likewise, except in specific, identified situations, instructors are not entitled to a full list of grades or a transcript of a student without that student's written consent. When in doubt about what information can be shared, don't be afraid to ask why the instructor needs the private student data.