Frequently Asked Questions for Parents and Guardians
The College is happy to provide general information to parents about policies and procedures, resources and opportunities for students, how to best support your student, and more. If you are not sure where to direct your question, please email parents@rpybbk.com.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally protects student access to their education records and protects those records from disclosure without the student's consent. Similarly, students' medical and health information is accessible to them and typically prohibited from disclosure because of applicable patient confidentiality and disclosure laws in New York state. For more information, see Barnard's FERPA policy.
Please note that the College may call parents or other designated emergency contacts in the event of a health or safety emergency.
It depends on what you are worried about.
CARES: Community Accountability, Response, and Emergency Services oversees both the Response Line and Emergency Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year long.
The Response Team answers the Response Line at (212) 854-3362. This is a great place to begin if you are unsure of where to start, as these staff members are trained to triage concerns and render assistance when necessary. Additionally, if you are worried about your student's mental health or about the lack of communication you've received from your student, this team is best equipped to either respond directly or help direct your call.
For emergencies, please call Community Safety via the Emergency Line at (212) 854-6666. If there is a physical emergency or risk of immediate harm or danger, this team is best equipped to formulate a response and triage with New York City emergency services. We recommend all parents and stakeholders call the emergency line prior to engaging alternative options (i.e. FDNY, NYPD, or 911). Our Community Safety team is better able to direct emergency services to the various named properties (e.g., asking 911 to go to Sulzberger Hall can delay a response as the address for that property is the address for all of campus). Community Safety will be able to respond more rapidly than an external emergency service.
If you are concerned about your student's academic progress, please call the Deans’ Office for Advising and Support at (212) 854-2024. Please be prepared to involve your student in a group conversation with the appropriate advisor. Consent and involvement of the student is usually required under College policy and the law.
The best place to find information on the College's academic year, holidays and breaks is the Academic Calendar. In addition, please refer to the Res Life Calendar, which indicates when students need to check-in and check-out of their residence halls.
Student mail and packages must be sent to their assigned mailbox number, not to their residence hall. Please use the following address format to send mail to your student:
Student’s Full Name
NNNN Altschul
New York, NY 10027-6909
In the above example, NNNN represents the student's four-digit mailbox number. Students may retrieve their mailbox number and combination in the myBarnard Portal, under Students/Mail Services
In addition, please note the special instructions for mailing student belongings for move-in. More information about mail and packages can be found on the Mail Services website.
By accepting admission to Barnard and enrolling in classes, students accept responsibility for paying all debts for which they are liable, including tuition and fees. We assume that our students understand and will honor this financial obligation. For complete information on all aspects of our financial aid resources and policies, visit Barnard Financial Aid.
The Bursar's Office is responsible for billing each student for the appropriate charges as well as crediting grants, loans, and payments to the student’s bill. An email from the Bursar's Office was sent to your student's Barnard email address to alert her to register for access to our Student Account Center.
While payment is the student's responsibility, we understand that parents and guardians often provide financial support. If you are a parent and want direct access to e-bills, ask your student to add you as an authorized user. We are not able to speak to anyone other than students concerning their student accounts without their specific authorization via the Student Account Center.
When your student receives her bill, you can review with your student both the charges and the payments being credited to ensure the amount due is correct. There are a number of different payment options available to families who have a balance to pay. Families can make online payments or enroll in a monthly payment plan. If you have questions about your bill, payment options, or being added as an authorized user, please contact the Bursar's Office.