Northern Arizona University Family Guide
Academic Life at NAU
How does my student enroll in classes?
Enrollment for classes is accomplished through LOUIE (Lumberjack Online University Information Environment), our on-line student information system: LOUIE.
First-year students have academic advising holds on their accounts and will not be able to enroll without first meeting with an adviser. Academic advising meetings are built in to your student’s Orientation schedule. Your student and the academic adviser will discuss your student’s academic progress and plan a course schedule designed to meet academic goals.
After the student earns 24 credit hours, they are assigned an advisor in their chosen academic department.
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. Open more than 100 hours a week, Cline Library offers offer specialized research consultations, group study room check out and access to millions of books, journals, and media items in our collection.
Your student will have access to more than 135 databases with access to 80,000+ online journals, wireless laptop check out, and fully equipped multimedia studios. 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), 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. Office of the Registrar
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.
