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Student Rights and Responsibilities

A University community requires an environment conducive to intellectual and personal growth of its students. Since actions of each individual affect this climate, National Louis University expects responsible conduct on the part of every student who is a member of this University community.

To further its objectives, and in recognition of students as members of the National Louis University community, the University has adopted the following:

  1. Applicants who meet specifically stated requirements will be eligible for admission to the University and for participation in all of its programs without regard for race, color, age, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, disability, political beliefs, military status, unfavorable military discharge other than dishonorable, and marital status.
  2. Students have the freedom to express reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any courses of study for which they are enrolled but are responsible for learning the content of the courses.
  3. For purposes of gaining academic credit, students shall be evaluated in terms of stated course competencies and requirements and not on personal or political beliefs.
  4. Disclosure of a student’s personal or political beliefs confidentially expressed in connection with coursework will not be made public without explicit permission of the student.
  5. Students will be informed of all rules, rates, and regulations deriving from contractual arrangements with the University before signing any such contracts.
  6. Students on campus or residing in University-owned housing will be secure against any unreasonable invasion of privacy, search or seizure but are responsible for compliance with all University regulations.
  7. Students are free to form, join, and participate in campus organizations for educational, religious, social, political, cultural or other purposes.
  8. Students are free to use campus facilities for meetings of registered and officially recognized organizations, subject to uniform regulations as to time and manner governing the facilities.
  9. Students’ records may be released only in accordance with provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
  10. Students are free, individually or in association with other individuals, to engage in activities not sponsored by the University, exercising their rights as citizens of the community, state and nation, provided they do not purport to represent the University.
  11. As appropriate, students will have their views and welfare considered in the formation of University policy and will be consulted by, or represented on, University councils and committees that affect students as members of the University community.
  12. Students are free to assemble, demonstrate, communicate and protest, recognizing that freedom requires order, discipline and responsibility, and further recognizing the right of faculty and other students to pursue their legitimate goals without interference.
  13. Students will be exempt from disciplinary action or dismissal from the University except for academic ineptness or lack of reasonable progress, failure to pay University debts, or violation of student or University rules and regulations.
  14. Students are free to be present on campus and to attend classes pending action on criminal or civil charges, except for reasons relating to their physical or emotional safety and well-being, or for reasons relating to the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff or University property. Students are subject to local, state, and federal statutes.
  15. It is recognized that all members of the community have the responsibility to conduct themselves in a manner that does not violate the rights, property, and freedoms of others.
  16. Editorial freedom in student publications and media shall be given under the following guidelines:
    1. Students shall be governed by the canons of responsible journalism, such as the avoidance of libel, indecency, undocumented allegations, attacks on personal integrity, and the techniques of harassment and innuendo.
    2. All University published and/or financed student publications should explicitly state on the editorial page that, “the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University or of the student body."
    3. Editors shall be protected from arbitrary suspension and removal because of student, administrative or public disapproval, and editorial policy or content. Only for proper and stated causes shall editors be removed by the proper agency responsible for their appointment.
  17. Students have the right to establish and maintain duly constituted governments, associations, and organizations to the extent approved by the University. A statement of purpose and/or a constitution shall be submitted for approval to the Office of Student Experience to become officially recognized by the University.

Access to Higher Education

Within the limits of its facilities, National Louis University is open to all applicants who are qualified according to its admission requirements.              

  1. The institution will publish in the Student Guidebook or the University Course Catalog the characteristics and expectations of students that it considers relevant to its programs.
  2. Under no circumstances will an applicant be denied admission because of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background or disability.

Equal Opportunity

National Louis University affords equal opportunity to all qualified persons regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, disability, political beliefs, marital status, military status, and unfavorable military discharge other than dishonorable.

Any student with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination is encouraged to contact the Department of Diversity, Access and Equity at 847.947.5275 or DAE@nl.edu. Students can raise concerns and make reports without fear of reprisal. Anyone found to be engaging in any type of unlawful discrimination may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

Compliance with Federal Nondiscrimination Regulations

Several federal regulations have been adopted that have as their purpose the protection of students’ rights. Of particular interest are the following:

  1. Equal Opportunity: National Louis University supports the principles of equal opportunity for employment to all qualified persons without regard to Race, Gender, Religion, Color, National Origin or Age.
  2. Title IX: National Louis University does not discriminate on the basis of Gender, in accord with Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendment s, in its Educational programs, Admission Policies, Activities or Employment Policies. This Legislation provides that no person in the United States shall, on the basis of Gender, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. This includes protection from sexual harassment. Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to the Department of Diversity, Access and Equality or to the Director of the Offices of Civil Rights, Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
  3. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: National Louis University does not discriminate against Individuals with Disabilities in its Educational programs, Admissions Policies, Activities, or Employment Policies. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, provides that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination solely because of their disability, under any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 provides comprehensive civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, places of public accommodations, state and local government services and telecommunications. Inquiries regarding compliance may be directed to the Department of Diversity, Access and Equality or to the Director of the Offices of Civil Rights, Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
  4. On-campus grievance procedures for alleged violations of the non-discrimination regulations are the same as those employed for challenging violations of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Financial Obligations

Students voluntarily accept the services of the University with full responsibility for the payment of all tuition, fees and other charges as scheduled in this catalog, listed on the University website and in other official notices. Electronic Statements of Account are posted to the NLU Student Portal monthly. It is the student’s responsibility to review the Statement of Account, verify that financial aid and payments have been received, and contact the Office of Student Finance with questions regarding charges within 30 days of posting. Satisfactory arrangements must be made with the Office of Student Finance for the settlement of all accounts before a student may register, receive a diploma, obtain a transcript, or have enrollment or degrees confirmed. The cancellation of a student’s enrollment may result if bills are past due and payment obligations have not been met.

Students must make restitution when they are responsible for the loss of or damage to University property or to the personal possessions of others.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

Basic Policy

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment or FERPA, National Louis University protects the rights of students and their parents with relation to the accuracy and privacy of their educational records. In accordance with the provisions of this act, National Louis University has established basic policies to prevent the release of any personally identifiable information regarding any of its students, without first having received the consent of the student (or, in some instances, the parent). In addition, procedures have been established by which a student (or, in some instances, a parent) may request to examine his/her educational records, may challenge any portion of the record, and may request the opportunity to have any inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate data deleted or corrected, or may have inserted into the record a written explanation regarding the content of the record.

Please note, as of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education's FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities ("Federal and State Authorities") may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is "principally engaged in the provision of education," such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

Generally, these rights belong to the student. However, the parents of a student who is financially dependent upon the parents (as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954) may have access to the student’s record without first obtaining the student’s consent. 

Release Policy

To totally prohibit the release of even a student’s name or dates of enrollment, for example, would be as much a disservice to students as it would be an imposition on the daily functioning of the school. The law permits certain categories of information to be designated as directory information and to be released without requiring written consent, provided the student (or parents where appropriate) has been notified what information is included as directory information and has been given a specific time to request any such information to be withheld from release.

The University has designated as directory information the following categories:

  • Student’s name
  • Local address, telephone numbers, and NLU email address (of currently enrolled students only)
  • Dates of enrollment
  • Major field of study
  • Diploma or degree awarded
  • Honors or awards received
  • Announcement of public performances and ceremonies officially recognized by the University

Information designated by National Louis University as directory information may be individually released without prior consent unless the student (or parent) requests in writing to withhold release. Any such request to withhold release of directory information will apply to all directory information. Students should send such a request to the Office of Admissions and Records.

No other personally identifiable information about a current or former student may be released to any person or agency outside the University except by the written, signed, and dated request of the student (or parent where appropriate) specifying the information to be released and to whom it is to be released. National Louis University is not required, however, to provide a third party access to education records even when the student has provided consent. Parents and spouses of students may obtain non-directory information only at the discretion of the university and after the consent form has been received. The University reserves the right to deny direct access to student records to other third parties without providing explanation. At the request of the student (or parent), a copy of the information to be released will be provided when he or she consents to the release. (The Privacy Act provides for a number of exceptions to this rule whereby information may be released to accrediting agencies, certain federal and state authorities, for reason of emergencies related to the health and safety of the student, etc., without notifying the student or parent. A list of such exceptions may be obtained upon request. Emergency release of information may be necessary on approval of an appropriate administrative officer. In addition, notification shall not be given if the student [or parent, where appropriate] has directly made the request for the release of information.) In situations in which confidential records are being discussed, the University reserves the right to restrict third-party participants. Within the University, certain information within a student’s record may be necessary for an individual or an office for whom it was not originally collected. Such information may be made available to University officials, including instructors, having legitimate educational interests.

The University shall maintain a record of all individuals or agencies that have requested or obtained access to a student’s educational records and the legitimate interest they have in such records. The University shall keep this record as part of the student’s total educational record, subject to the same restrictions on release and access. The University shall not maintain records of release of directory information requested directly by the student (or parent where appropriate) or requested by individuals within the school who have legitimate educational interest.

Whenever personally identifiable information about a student is released, the University shall stipulate, in writing, that the person or agency to whom it is released may not transmit such information to another individual or agency without the prior written consent of the student or parent of students below the post-secondary level. 

Maintenance of Records

In maintaining a student’s educational record, the University shall collect part or all of the following information: name; address; social security number; phone number; date of birth; sex; ethnicity; marital status; citizenship status; names of elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools attended with dates and diplomas or degrees earned; activities, awards, and work experiences; parents’ names, addresses, phone numbers and occupations; business address and phone numbers; emergency telephone numbers; transcripts; grades received; reports of standardized tests; degree and program evaluations; course evaluations; competency sheets; registration forms; medical forms and records; financial assistance applications; confidential financial statements and eligibility reports; records of student fee payments; student-completed questionnaires; counselor reports and notes; letters of recommendation; placement records; and correspondence.

Letters of recommendation are used as admission documents only. They are not intended nor will they be used for any other purpose.

This information is kept by various offices and departments:

  • Admissions
  • Alumni Relations
  • Career Services
  • Diversity, Equity, and Access
  • Financial Aid
  • Provost
  • Registrar
  • School College Relations (National College of Education)
  • Student Accounts
  • Student Affairs
  • Student Counseling
  • Student Health
  • University Ombudsman

Detailed educational records, as defined above, are kept no longer than two years after a student terminates enrollment in one of the University colleges and are then destroyed, with the following exceptions:

  1. The Office of Admissions and Records maintains student files until graduation. Transcripts are maintained permanently. The Office of Admissions and Records keeps for five years general academic files of students who withdraw from the University before graduation and permanently maintains transcripts of all academic records earned at the University.
  2. The Alumni Relations Office maintains directory information on all graduates.
  3. The Financial Aid Office maintains complete files until a federal audit has been made.
  4. The Student Accounts Office retains quarterly financial summaries of student fee payments and individual student files concerning Perkins Loans necessary to meet statutory requirements.
  5. The Office of School College Relations (National College of Education) permanently retains information files related to professional study: evaluation, notation, etc.
  6. The Student Health Services maintains required immunization records and retains all other medical records for seven years after a student terminates enrollment.
  7. The Office of Student Affairs and the Office of the Provost maintain disciplinary records for five years.

Student Right to Access

Students currently or formerly enrolled in the undergraduate or graduate school may request access to their own educational records with the following exceptions:

  1. Medical and psychological reports and records are not open for review, although the University nurse or other recognized professional may act as a student’s agent and review the record for him/her upon the student’s request.
  2. Confidential letters and statements of recommendation, written before January 1, 1975 and used only for the purpose for which they were obtained are not open for review.
  3. Parent’s Confidential Statements and eligibility reports are not open for student’s review without parental written consent.

Although the rights provided for by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 belong primarily to the student once he or she is enrolled at a post-secondary level of education, the parents of students who are financially dependent upon them (as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954) may request access to the student’s record without the prior consent of the student, with the same exceptions as listed above. 

Waiver of Right to Access

In the following situations, the University shall provide students (or parents, where appropriate) with the means of waiving their right of access to certain limited parts of their educational record for the purpose of preserving confidentiality:

  1. Letters of recommendation required for admission.
  2. Letters of recommendation collected for a student’s credential file in both the undergraduate and graduate colleges to be used in pursuit of employment.
  3. Letters of recommendation used in connection with a student’s eligibility for honorary recognition.

Whenever a student chooses to waive the right of such access, this limited waiver of the right of access applies to the parents, as well. In all three of the above listed situations, where the student or parent waives the right of access, the student (or parent, where appropriate) may request notification of the names of persons making recommendations and the University will provide them with such names.

In providing the means of waiving the right of access, the school shall place this option in writing as part of the printed form being used to obtain statements of recommendation. A student shall indicate in writing his/her choice of waiving or not waiving the right of access to this information before the form is given to other individuals to write their recommendations. Once a recommendation has been received, a student may not change his/her decision with regard to waiving the right to access to that recommendation. 

Procedure for Access

To obtain access to any part of a student’s educational record, the student (or parent where appropriate) shall be required to submit a written request to the individual in charge of the office that keeps the records in question. An opportunity to examine the student’s file shall be provided as soon as possible and no later than 45 business days after the date of the initial request. The file must be examined within the office and in the presence of the administrator in charge of the office. 

Procedure for Challenging the Record and Informal Proceedings

Should a student or parent (or another agent acting on their behalf in the case of medical or psychological records) feel that certain information within the educational record is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate, and wish to challenge such information, the parent or student may request a formal or informal hearing of their objections. The formal hearing request must be made in writing to the official representing the University in whose presence the record is being examined.

This official may offer to hear the objection at that time and thereby attempt to settle the objection in an informal way. Should such official be convinced of the validity of the objections made, they may, at that time, remove incorrect, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate information from the file; correct such information so that it is correct and satisfactory to the person stating the objections; or he or she may insert into the record an explanatory note written by the student or the parent. A summary of the proceedings, objections, and results shall be kept by that office, not in the student’s file. 

Formal Hearing

Should the individual hearing the objections not be convinced of their validity and should the person making the objection not be satisfied by the explanations given or by the offer to settle the objection informally, a formal hearing may be held. The student or parent desiring such a hearing shall make a written request to the administrator of that office and shall be contacted within one week to establish a time for the hearing. The hearing should take place no later than three weeks following the written request, providing that school is in session.

Under such circumstances, the objections shall be heard by a group of three representatives of the University, to be appointed by the President or by a designated substitute—none of the representatives to be directly involved with the information under objection. The hearing shall be conducted by one of the representatives appointed to chair the hearing. The student may bring to the hearing another person who may advise but who may not represent him/her. The chairperson shall present the information being questioned and shall give the student (or parent) requesting the hearing a full and fair opportunity to state the objections being made. The student shall, at this time, present any evidence to substantiate his/her objections. The chair shall then request the individual responsible for the information about which the objection has been made to state the rationale for the existing information and defend its validity. The chair shall then give the members of the hearing committee the opportunity to question both parties. The chair shall then invite concluding statements from each party. The objector shall be notified in writing as soon as possible of the committee’s decision. 

Record of Hearing

Should their decision be in favor of the objector, deletions or corrections in the student’s record shall be made immediately, and a summary of the hearing, the objections and the determinations made shall be recorded in the office where the information objected to is kept in a file, though the account of the hearing shall not appear in the student’s record. Should the decision be in favor of retaining the already existing information without change, the record shall be retained as is and a summary of the hearing, the objections and decisions made shall be recorded in the office where the information objected to is kept in a file, though the summary of the hearing shall not appear in the student’s record. Once a particular item in the educational record has been challenged and formally heard, a challenge of the same item shall not be heard again.

Additional Information Regarding FERPA

More detailed information concerning the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 may be obtained by examination of the act itself, as amended.