Parent Proxy FAQs

Parent FAQs

What is Proxy access?

“Proxy access” provides an opportunity for University of Portland students to grant access to family members or other designated individuals to view certain student information online or to speak with specific departments regarding the student. The most common scenario for granting Proxy access is so that a family member can view a student’s grades or tuition invoices via the UP Self Serve portal. The person being granted access to the student’s information is referred to as the “proxy”.

Students must initiate the process and fulfill each step in order for the designated Proxy to be able gain access to the Self Serve portal. The required steps to establish Proxy access and consent are necessary to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Once the necessary steps are completed by the student, the designated proxy will receive an email indicating the account has been created and providing a temporary link and action password (such as a temporary PIN) to complete the authentication process. We ask that you and your student please carefully review the resources and instructions below for more information.

What is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?

FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of students and prohibits institutions of higher education from disclosing any student information, including financial information, without the explicit authorization of the student. In accordance with the FERPA, University of Portland has established guidelines regarding access to and release of educational records. FERPA allows UP to release “directory information” without the consent or knowledge of the student, unless the student has notified UP in advance that such information is not to be released. Visit the U.S. Department of Education website or the Registrar’s website to learn more about this federal law.

How does my student set up parent proxy access?

Your student has the ability to set up proxy access by logging into their UP Self Serve account. The student who grants proxy access has complete control over the access of their account, including who is granted proxy access, the start and stop dates of each proxy account, and permission levels. Instructions for students are available online and additional FAQs for students are available below. Once the necessary steps are completed by the student, the designated proxy will receive an email indicating the account has been created and providing a temporary link and action password (such as a temporary PIN) to complete the authentication process. View further instructions for parents or designated proxies.

Please note that users with a Comcast email have been experiencing difficulties using the Proxy system. While we are working on a larger solution, in the meantime we highly recommend that parents use an email address from a different email provider.

Can a proxy account (email address) be assigned for multiple students?

Yes. Proxies are identified by e-mail address, and multiple students can assign that proxy account access using the same email address. This is particularly useful in the case of siblings attending the University of Portland. However, each student must identify and grant access to their proxy. 

What should be done if a proxy forgets their PIN?

Your PIN is essentially your password to login to your Proxy account. If you have forgotten your PIN (password), go to the proxy login page. Enter the email address used to establish your account and click on the "Forgot PIN" button. An email will be sent to your email address with a unique link and temporary “action password”. You will use this temporary “action password” as the "Old PIN" in the PIN reset process. Please note that Proxy PINs expire in alignment with UP password policy and will require the proxy to reset it regularly.

Why can’t I see all of my student’s information?

Only the student granting the proxy access can change the permissions that are granted. University administrators and the UP Help Desk cannot change the permission settings for proxies. Sometimes students will start the Proxy process but not finish it by selecting the categories of information they want shared with their proxy. Until the student grants you authorization to view specific categories such as conduct, financial aid, student accounts, and student information, you will not see details in your account.  

Why would only one child's name appear as a selection for a proxy with more than one child attending University of Portland?

For each student that has identified a person as a Proxy, there will be a tab with each student's name. When you select a name, you will see the listing of the items that that student has authorized you to see. To be in compliance with FERPA, the student has complete control over what information can be viewed by each user. If the student's name does not appear, they have not granted access to their account information. The parent should contact the student with questions regarding access.

How do I change my proxy email address?

On the Proxy Access profile page, update the email address and click save. The system will then send two email messages. The first email is sent to the old email address to indicating that a request for a change from this address has occurred. The second email is sent to the new email address indicating that a change to this address was initiated. The second email contains a unique link which the proxy should click to confirm the change is correct.

What if I have another question about parent proxy?

Questions regarding proxy access can be sent to: proxy_access@up.edu.

Student FAQs

Which students can set up Proxy Access?

Any student who has access to a UP Self Serve account has the ability to set up Proxy access.

Can a proxy account (email address) be assigned for multiple students?

Yes. Proxies are identified by e-mail address, and multiple students can assign that proxy account access using the same email address. This is particularly useful in the case of siblings attending UP at the same time.

When a proxy receives access to multiple students' records, am I able to set-up different levels of access?

Yes. Each student who grants proxy access has complete control over the access of their account, including who is granted proxy access, the start and stop dates of each proxy account, and permission levels.

Can the proxy update my student information?

No. Proxies can only view the student information you have authorized. They cannot make updates to information such as your permanent address.

Can multiple proxies use the same e-mail address?

No. However, if parents share an email address and a student wishes to grant proxy access to both using that address, the student may do so. If this is how the student wishes to set it up, we ask that when completing the first name field, the student enters both first names (example: Mary and David). In the relationship description field, enter “parents” or “mom and dad” so that it is clear to any administrator reviewing the permissions that this email address is for multiple persons.

I am selecting items I want my designee to see, but where is the save button?

The functionality on the Authorization web page where you select the items that you want your proxy to see saves your selection immediately upon each click. There is no save button. To view your activity, select the "History" tab to view the most recent actions and a record of your selected authorizations.

What if I no longer want a proxy to have access?

Access to information can be removed in a couple of ways. To remove all access for the proxy, students can log in to UP Self Serve, select Proxy Access, and under the “Profile” tab you may change the Stop Date. To remove access or modify access, go under the “Authorization” tab and remove the checkmarks for the items to be made unavailable to the proxy.

Can I view who has accessed information through proxy access?

Yes. Student would click on the proxy’s name, the profile will be expanded and the student can click on the "History" tab to review the activity for that proxy. The webpage will display the most recent activity including access to information items being granted, information about items being disabled, and details of the proxy's access including what information has been viewed.

Will my proxy be notified if a modification to access is made including removing authorization?

No. There is no automatic notification sent when a modification to those items is made.

How can I reset my proxy's PIN?

You may reset the PIN of a proxy by clicking the Reset Pin button on the Profile tab for that proxy. The proxy may also reset their PIN by clicking the Forgot PIN button on the login page.