Northern Arizona University

Academics at Northern Arizona University

Enrollment for classes is accomplished through LOUIE (Lumberjack Online University Information Environment), our on-line student information system:  www.nau.edu/louie.  First year students have academic advising holds on their accounts and will not be able to enroll without first meeting with an advisor. Academic advising meetings are built in to your student’s Orientation schedule.  Your student and the academic advisor will dis¬cuss your student’s academic progress and plan a course schedule designed to meet academic goals.

What is Liberal Studies?
Liberal Studies is our general education program.  It is designed to provide students with the essential skills and understandings necessary for life at and after the university.  Thirty-five units of liberal studies are required.  In addition, there are two university requirements – a junior level writing course and the senior capstone experience.  The university also has a diversity requirement, one class focused on the ethnic diversity of the United States and one class focused on the diversity of our larger world.
 
What library resources are available to my student?
The Cline Library is the keystone of academic life on campus. The library includes more than 1,400,000 volumes, including 560,000 books; 240,000 government documents; 35,000 maps; 373,000 microforms; 18,000 sound recordings; 10,000 videos, films and other non-print media; and 136,000 bound periodical volumes. www.nau.edu/library

Will I see my student’s grades or be advised of my student’s progress on a regular basis?
No. In 1974, Congress passed the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, also known as the Buckley Amendment), which states that a student is the custodian of his or her educational records. This means that even if you are paying the tuition, representatives of Northern Arizona University cannot disclose or discuss anything with you about your student’s academic or disciplinary status without written authorization from the student. Federal law does not permit school officials to share students’ educational records with anyone else unless it is in compliance with a lawfully issued subpoena or on an internal educational need-to-know basis. E-mailed authorizations are not acceptable.  www.nau.edu/enrollmentservices/ferpa.asp

Midterm grade reports are available to your student via LOUIE and final term grades are available within two weeks after the end of the term. Please be aware of these time frames so you and your student can discuss his or her academic progress.

Revised 7-30-09