Colleges and universities are bound by a complex maze of state and federal laws and regulations that strive to balance the student's right to privacy with the public's right to know about activities using public funds.

Modern information technologies are making it easier to collect and store information about the disparate aspects of the student experience and to organize such information in consolidated forms that are convenient for students. A student at some colleges and universities can see a Web-based report that summarizes their debit balance on their meal ticket, any outstanding campus library or parking fines, their grades, loan balances, and so forth.

Different institutions maintain different policies regarding the provision of information about students to their parents. You and your parents should inquire about the institution's policies and practices in this area and about the technical sophistication of the institution as regards the delivery and integration of this information.