The Student Development office is committed to facilitating communication between the campus and parents within the guidelines specified by FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). Because FERPA allows students to opt out of communication between their parents and Southern, parents who want to discuss grades and student conduct with Southern should discuss with their children the importance of including their names as family that are given this privilege.
Another way that Southern is committed to parent communication is through its parent orientation. At the beginning of each semester, First Year Experience schedules a new-parent Zoom event to allow families to get acquainted with what their children can expect upon arriving on Southern's campus for the first time.
Still another avenue is Parents Weekend, which takes place in the winter of every even-numbered year. Generally occurring in February, Parents Weekend gives parents the opportunity to join their children in their classes, to meet with administrators, and to attend special programming and meals.
Southern also publishes Panorama, an online parent newsletter. It is sent out four times a year.