Administrative Experience
Managing Your Personal Information
2.1 What personal information can you view online--your contact information, grades, degree progress, financial status, or other information?
All of these are available online plus other information listed in 2.3 below. Iowa State students who have a PIN number assigned by the U.S. Department of Education can do most of their loan application work online. Via the Web, students can check the status of their direct loan applications and loan histories, and submit or correct FAFSAs. Parents also can obtain PIN numbers, using them to electronically sign their students' FAFSA forms. PINs are available through the Department of Education's PIN site (http://www.pin.ed.gov/). Iowa State students can accept financial aid packages, which include loans, and can have their financial aid awards applied to their university bill via the Web.2.2 Can you update any of this information online yourself?
Yes, students can use online services to:• Update their address and contact information.
• Register for classes.
• Add or drop classes.
• Apply for, check, and accept financial aid.
• Review and update many other records.
Conducting Business
2.3 What student and business transactions can you do online?
Listed below are the most-used online transactions:• Apply for admission, scholarships, and housing.
• Campus visit information and reservations.
• Check admissions status.
• Review and accept housing assignments.
• Apply for, view, and receive financial aid awards.
• Register for, add, and drop courses.
• Look at and print course schedules and classroom assignments.
• Purchase books and other supplies from the university bookstore.
• View course grades.
• View and pay your university bill.
• Add funds to your ISUCard.
• Change your address and contact information.
• Apply for various programs (e.g., Study Abroad).
• Review listings on the Student Job Board.
• View and print unofficial transcripts.
• Order official transcripts.
• Check progress toward completion of degree requirements.
Prospective students can build a portal page in Cyclone Cyberspace to tailor information to their individual characteristics.
2.4 What campus and community services are covered by debit-card, smart-card, or one-card systems?
The ISUCard uses magnetic stripe technology to function like a "smart card". Students use their cards to check out library books, purchase residence hall meals, gain access to some offices , and for time and attendance at some places of employment on campus. Students also use their ISUCards and passwords to access personal information through the AccessPlus system, such as online registration, class schedule, financial aid information, university bill status, grade reports, unofficial transcripts, and other personal information.Students who have checking accounts with US Bank may opt to use their ISUCards as ATM cards. US Bank has a convenient location adjoining campus, as well as ATMs located throughout Ames.
Students also can use CyCash, Iowa State University's online system, by depositing up to $250 online through the AccessPlus system. The money deposited in CyCash can then be used to make on-campus purchases at the Memorial Union Food Court and campus dining facilities; residence hall laundry machines, convenience stores, vending machines, and copiers; ISU Copy Centers; University Book Store; Parks Library copiers; and off-campus at Campus Book Store.
2.5 Is the school catalog--including course descriptions, degree requirements, academic policies, and the semester/term schedule of classes--available on the Web?
The entire university catalog is online. It lists all academic policies, and procedures. In addition, it includes information for fees, curriculum requirements, and first-year courses of study for more than 100 undergraduate majors; course descriptions for nearly 5000 undergraduate and graduate courses; and a listing of faculty members at Iowa State University.Privacy, Security, and Usage Rules
2.6 What security and privacy policies are in place to protect student information?
Iowa State University maintains various records concerning students, to document their academic progress as well as to record their interactions with university staff and officials. To preserve a student's right to privacy and to conform with federal law, the university has established certain policies to govern the handling of student records. Parents are able to see certain information with their student's consent. All policies conform with FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (also known as the Buckley Amendment).The university's IT Security policy includes the general principles of IT security that are applied throughout the university as well as providing guidance, noting responsibilities, and defining the university's security practices, including safeguarding the privacy of individuals and information.
The Code of Computer Ethics and Acceptable Use Policy outlines the ethical and acceptable use of information systems at Iowa State University. This policy is in place to ensure that members of the university community have access to reliable IT resources that are safe from unauthorized or malicious use.
2.7 How does the campus educate students and protect them from identity theft?
• Student social security numbers are not used in any open or unmasked ways for public transaction.• An Iowa State Net-ID and password is required to login to authenticated services.
• Solution Center procedures require verification of identity prior to any password resets.
Additional information can be found in the university's IT Security policy, which defines the university's security practices, including safeguarding the privacy of individuals and information.
2.8 How does the campus notify students of their rights under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?
The Registrar's Office maintains online information regarding the university's policies governing student records and confidentiality. All policies conform with FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. More information is available at http://www.iastate.edu/~catalog/info-release.html.2.9 How does the campus manage email spam and spyware?
While stopping spam is nearly impossible, IT Services has implemented a spam detection system at Iowa State to help manage the problem. Similar to caller-ID service on your phone, the spam detection system helps screen out unwanted email. By comparing an email with a set of criteria, the spam tagging system determines the probability that the mail is spam and denotes it accordingly with a specific tag. Users can then decide how to handle the mail. Many users choose to set up filters and transfer the flagged mail to its own mail folder for reviewing later. Online documents and videos provide information on setting up filters for spam tagging.Students can get McAfee Anti-Spyware Enterprise at no cost to them. The university has licensed this package so students have convenient spyware protection and removal for their computers. The package works in conjunction with the McAfee anti-virus software, or can be installed as a standalone product with other anti-virus software. Registered students can download this package at no charge via http://www.it.iastate.edu/downloads/.
