Student Record Information

You are expected to provide the university with accurate information concerning your personal and educational history. University policy indicates that any students who intentionally falsify or omit information given as part of their university record, become subject to suspension.

Classification is based on the total earned credits plus the transferred and/or credit by examination credits at the end of the last semester or summer session. Courses carried (and/or completed) during the current term are not considered in making the determination.

ClassificationCredits
Freshmen1 -- 29.5>
Sophomore30 -- 59.5
Junior60 -- 89.5
Senior90 and more

Enrollment status at UW-Stout is based on the following requirements:

Credit Hours Per SemesterEnrollment Status
Undergraduates
12 or more creditsFull time
9 -- 11 creditsThree Quarter time
6 -- 8 creditsHalf time
.5 -- 5.5 creditsLess than Half time
Graduates
9 or more creditsFull time
7 -- 8 creditsThree Quarter time
5 -- 6 creditsHalf time
.5 -- 4.5 creditsLess than Half time

Courses which are dropped (grades of WS, WU or W) cannot be counted in the credit load when determining enrollment status.

Student I.D. numbers are automatically generated by the university's student information system software. These numbers are assigned at the time of the student's first contact with the university and remain with the student throughout his or her attendance at the university. Other numbers are often associated with a student. Social Security numbers are maintained in the student information system, but are used only for meeting federal requirements, such as reporting requirements, and Financial Aid. Students are required to create a password for use on web-based applications, such as Canvas and Access Stout. Students who have concerns about the university's use of identification numbers should contact the Registrar.

Privacy of Student Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, requires that you be advised of your rights concerning your education records and of certain categories of public information which the university has designated "directory information."

Education records are all the records maintained by the university about you. There are seven exceptions:

  1. Personal notes of University of Wisconsin staff and faculty.
  2. Employment records (does not include student employment records).
  3. Medical and counseling records used solely for treatment.
  4. Records in the Security Office.
  5. Financial records of your parents.
  6. Confidential letters and statements of recommendation placed in your records prior to January 1, 1975.
  7. Confidential letters and statements of recommendations for admission, employment or honorary recognition placed in your records after January 1, 1975, for which you have waived the right to inspect and review. Under no condition may you be required to waive your rights under this act in order to receive university services or benefits.

Records are not maintained in a central location on campus. Requests to review your records must be made separately to each office which maintains your records. Your request must be made in writing and presented to the appropriate office. That office will have up to 45 days to honor your request. Each office will go over your records with you. Offices and records covered by this policy include:

RecordsLocationAdministrator
Registration and Academic Records
Bowman HallDirector of Registration and Records (Registrar)
Financial AidBowman HallDirector of Financial Aid
Admissions -- UndergraduateSorensen HallDirector of Admissions
Graduate Records200 Main St. E.Director of Office of Graduate Studies
Career Planning and PlacementAdmin. Bldg.Director of Placement and Co-op Services
Academic Advisers, Program Directors, DeansVariousAs Appropriate
University Financial RecordsAdmin. Bldg.Director of Budget and Financial Services
HousingPrice CommonsDirector

You may review, challenge, inspect and copy any information contained in your "education records" which you believe to be inaccurate, misleading or inappropriate. This right does not extend to reviewing grades unless the grade assigned by your professor was inaccurately recorded in your records. Records may be amended based on your challenge. Amendment may be made by (1) requesting that an amendment be made of the record keeper, (2) having the record keeper make a decision; if denied, a hearing can be requested, (3) if the hearing results in no change, the student may place an explanatory statement in the records.

The hearing agent is the Dean of Students. The dean's decision will be final.

Under the Act, your prior written consent must be obtained before information may be disclosed to third parties unless they are exempted from this provision. These exceptions include:

  1. Requests from UW-Stout faculty and staff with a legitimate educational "need to know" (except employees of the Security Office).
  2. Requests in accordance with a lawful subpoena of court order.
  3. Requests in connection with a student's application for or receipt of Financial Aid.
  4. Requests from officials of other educational institutions in which you intend to enroll.
  5. Requests from other persons specifically exempted from the prior consent requirement by the Act (certain federal and state officials, organizations conducting studies on behalf of the university, accrediting organizations).
  6. Requests for "directory information."

A log will be kept of all persons who requested or obtained personally identifiable information from the student's records, showing the date of request and the reason for viewing. This does not include requests by, or disclosures to, school officials or parents of students; requests for disclosures of directory information; or disclosures made with the consent of students or parents.

In accordance with the Act, UW-Stout has designated the following categories of information about you as public unless you choose to have any or all of this information withheld. This information will be routinely released to any inquirer unless you request that all or part of this list be withheld. These categories are:

  1. Name
  2. Address
  3. Telephone Listing
  4. E-mail Listing
  5. Date of Birth
  6. Major field of study
  7. Participants in officially recognized activities and sports
  8. Weight and height of members of athletic teams
  9. Dates of attendance including current enrollment status, FT/PT status, classification and year, matriculation and withdrawal dates
  10. Degrees and awards received (type of degree and date granted)
  11. The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended

Our class sessions will all be audio-visually recorded for students in the class to refer back and for enrolled students who are unable to attend live. Students who participate with their camera engaged or utilize a profile image are agreeing to have their video or image recorded. Likewise, students who un-mute during class and participate orally are agreeing to have their voices recorded.

The university receives many inquiries for "directory information" from a variety of sources including friends, parents, relatives, prospective employers, graduate schools, honor societies, licensing agencies, government agencies and news media. Carefully consider the consequences of removing items from the list. Should you ask the university not to release any or all of this information, any requests for such information from non-university persons or organizations will be refused.

For example, the university could not release your telephone number or address to a family member wishing to notify you of a serious illness or crisis in the family. A prospective employer requesting confirmation of your major field of study, address or date of birth would also be denied access to such information.

The university will honor your request to withhold any of the items listed and will not contact you for subsequent permission to release them. UW-Stout assumes no liability for honoring your instructions to withhold this information.

If you have questions regarding the provisions of the Act, contact the office acting as custodian of your records, the Dean of Students, Room 130 Bowman Hall.

Students may file complaints concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the Act. Complaints are to be filed with:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

To share a desired amount of information to a person you give access to in AccessStout, use the following guide:

To create an account in AccessStout to view a student's shared data with you as the delegate, use the following guide: