Set up Parent Communication with Benedictine College

There are three distinct and equally important ways you may grant permission for Benedictine College officials to communicate with your parents regarding separate areas of college-related matters: RavenZone Proxy User, TouchNet Authorized User, and FERPA Waiver.

Set up Proxy Users in RavenZone

RavenZone is Benedictine’s online platform which allows students to register for classes, view grades, access transcripts, accept financial aid, view bills, and more.

Students may opt to set up another RavenZone user (a proxy user) and give that user permission to access complete or select view-only student information, such as grades, course schedule, satisfactory academic progress (with regard to maintaining aid and scholarships), financial aid information, notifications and more. Detailed instructions about setting up a Proxy User

For more information, contact Ellen Pyle (Software Support) by email.

Set up Authorized Users in TouchNet

TouchNet is Benedictine’s billing and payment system platform, which operates independently of RavenZone. Parents, grandparents, guardians, or anyone who helps a student understand his or her financial situation at Benedictine College may be enrolled by the student as Authorized Users in TouchNet. Authorized Users to whom students have granted access receive outreach emails and push notifications related to Student Billing may view and print a student’s billing statement, see current account activity, make payments now or schedule future payments, set up payment plans and manage a student’s tuition account. This is independent of RavenZone Proxy User. Detailed instructions on setting up an Authorized User

For more information, contact Megan Crowley (Cashier) by email or at 913.360.7553.

Review Information about the FERPA Waiver

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Prior to a student turning 18, FERPA affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records. When a student turns 18 years old, or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student.

At Benedictine College, records may be released to parents if a student has completed the college’s FERPA Waiver. Parents should not expect outreach initiated by the college regarding a student’s education-related records. The FERPA Waiver may be obtained by the student and signed in the Office of Academic Records. The student should bring a photo ID. Note that the FERPA Waiver is not currently available online.

Further, college personnel may disclose information to the parents of a student, without the student’s consent, if the student is a dependent for tax purposes. Parents may be asked by a college employee to validate that the student is a tax dependent.

Even if a student has signed the FERPA Waiver or is a tax dependent, prior to releasing FERPA-protected information, college personnel: 1) will confirm with the Office of Academic Records that the student has completed the FERPA Waiver or is a tax dependent, 2) may attempt to involve the student in the dialogue between the parent and the college, and 3) may take steps to confirm a parent’s identity. These steps may take some time, so please be patient. See more information about the FERPA Waiver

Finally, it is important to keep in mind that the student remains Benedictine College’s primary point of contact. Parents should not expect outreach from the college regarding a student’s education-related records. For example, parents should not expect to receive updates or notifications related to academic performance, class attendance, discipline or billing from college personnel. As such, the RavenZone Proxy User may provide the right level of access in the most convenient manner.

For more information, contact Sister Linda Herndon, O.S.B., Ph.D. (Associate Academic Dean) by email or at 913.360.7553.