FERPA: What do you do when a parent insists on coming to a student's orientation and registration session?

The transition to college and independence is often more challenging for parents than it is for students. It is not unusual for a parent to insist on attending an the orientation and registration session for an incoming student. Regardless of how this situation is handled, it can be awkward. From a FERPA perspective, you should obtain written permission from the student prior to allowing the parent to attend either of these activities. In practice, however, often the most practical thing to do is to take the student away from his or her parent and ask if he/she wants the parent to be present during these sessions and explain to the student that it truly is his/her choice. If the student agrees to the parent being present, have him or her agree to this in writing. If the student does not want to have the parent present, politely explain to the parent that orientation and registration activities are only for the student.