Proxy Access

Through the Proxy Access Portal, a student at PennWest can provide parents/guardian/spouse/other with access to their University records, such as financial aid, billing information, grades, schedules and transfer credit details, amongst other items.  

In addition, as part of the Proxy set-up, PennWest students will establish a FERPA passphrase, which the parent or other must use to confirm their identity when calling a University office regarding the student's records.

A student’s rights are protected under FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Therefore, the student sets the permissions for Proxy Access and may restrict the information that a parent or other is able to access and revoke access at any time. Visit the FERPA page for more information.

How-to Guides

For Students and Parents

For Faculty and Staff

Proxy Setup for Students (Parent/Guest Portal)

At PennWest, you have the option to create proxy accounts for any trusted individual you wish to have access to your student records. Those you give access to may set up an account for Proxy Access via myPennWest.

Access need only be granted once, but as the student your educational record is your own and you are able to determine the length of time that you wish to grant proxy access to other individuals.  

Proxy access allows individuals you identify to access and review parts of your student account that you wish to share with them.  It does not allow someone to act on your behalf.  This means, someone set up as your proxy cannot make registration changes for you, or withdraw you from courses or from the university.  

How to set up Proxy access: Listed below are 3 sections of steps to permit access.

  • Section 1 are steps for you (student),
  • Section 2 are steps for your parent/guardian/guest to confirm their account.
  • Section 3 are steps for setting up TouchNet access.


Section 1: Steps for you (Student) to Permit Proxy Access

1. Sign in to your myPennWest account.

2. In the box labeled Student Quick Access, click “Student Self-Service”.



3. Click the Waffle in the top left corner of the page (cluster of boxes to the left of the campus logos).



4. In the drop-down menu, click “Banner” and then “Personal Information”.


5. Then click “Proxy Access and Management”.


6. From the Proxy Management page, click “Add New” in the far-right corner.


7. On the Proxy Information page, enter the first, last name and email address of the individual you would like to allow for Proxy Access. Use the drop-down “relationship” menu to select their relationship type, and the “description” box to write their specific relationship to you.



8. Write a “passphrase” for this individual. The Passphrase is a special word or phrase this individual will provide to faculty or staff when requesting to discuss your student records.


9. Under the “Authorizations” heading, check/uncheck the boxes to select the record items you will authorize this individual to access. You may select individual items or select all. Click “Submit” when you are finished.



10. Once you have clicked “Submit” and returned to the main “Proxy Management” screen, click on the blue pencil icon below the individual you just added.

*NOTE* You can delete an individual from being a Proxy by selecting the blue trashcan icon to the right of the pencil



11. Under the Proxy Information, click “Email Passphrase” located under the Passphrase box. The individual you have added will now have received all the emails necessary to finish setting up/access their account.



12. You may now log out of your account, or repeat these steps to add another individual for Proxy Access.


You will now need the first individual you added to access their email and complete the following steps…

Section 2: Steps for Parent/Guest to Confirm Proxy Portal Account

1. Once the PennWest student has created your Proxy Account, you should receive 2 emails from [email protected]. One includes a hyperlink and directions for activating your account, the other contains a temporary login password.

2. Open the email with the subject “PennWest – New Proxy Account.” Read the email and then click the included hyperlink.


3. Next, open the email with the subject “Action Required – Proxy Account.” Use the “copy” function to copy the temporary password provided (highlighted in yellow).


4. Now return to previously opened hyperlink page. Use the “paste” function to paste the temporary password you previously copied into the box labelled, “initial password.” Then click “Submit”,



5. On the next screen, enter your email address, the initial password from the email, and a new password of your choosing. (Your password must be 8 characters, and should include a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters.) When you have filled all the boxes, click “Submit”.



6. After changing your password, you will be prompted to enter your username (the email address you have been using) and your new password.



7. Once you have signed in, complete all your Proxy Personal Information. All required profile fields are marked with an asterisk (*). You will need to include information under the headings “Personal Details,” “Contact,” “Address,” and “Other Info” if you choose to. Once you are finished, click “Submit”.



8. You now have access to your Proxy Account.


9. Use the drop-down box next to your student’s name to view any student records they have allowed you to access.

Additional Information

  • To sign in to Proxy Access in the future, visit myPennWest and click on the “Proxy Access” link in the bottom right.
  • You will receive a third initial email from [email protected] with the subject “PennWest – FERPA Passphrase” containing your Passphrase. Your student will select this unique Passphrase and you will need to use it when requesting information on the phone or in-person. Save this email/Passphrase for future use. (The Passphrase in the image below is an example, not the one you will utilize).
  • To change your password, select the “Click here to change your password” link at the top right of your Proxy Personal Information, and follow the steps sent to your email (the steps will be similar to changing the initial password you were provided).
  • To change your email, you can update your email address under your Proxy Personal Information. You will receive an email to both your old and new email addresses – follow instructions sent to your NEW (updated) email address to accept the change.
  • If you do not receive the emails/instructions to confirm or access your Proxy Account, or you surpass the 5-day period and your link becomes invalid, your student can resend you the information through their PennWest account.
  • Your student can remove your Proxy Account at any time. You will receive an email notification if your access has been removed
  • You can only view your student’s information, the student must request to update their own records.

While the Proxy access set up is designed for access to student academic records, if you desire to allow additional users access to the bill related to registration there is a slightly different set up, albeit with similar approaches.  

Access to TouchNet allows users to access to the student bill and payments, however, to contact the institution regarding the student account, users must also have Proxy access as outlined above.


Section 3: Setting up TouchNet Access

  • Go to myPennWest and click on TouchNet: Authorized Users.

  • Once you are authenticated, then you will set up authorized users.
  • Click on the “Add Authorized User”
  • Indicate which items that you are permitting the authorized user to have access to review.


For Faculty / Staff

How to find out if a student gave a parent/guardian/other access to their student records?

There are two paths:

For those staff, department chairs, department clericals with BANNER Client access:

  • From myPennWest, on the Staff Quick Access Tile, choose the Link to BANNER ADMIN -PROD
  • Type in GPAPRXY and hit enter
  • Enter Student PWID or perform a name search and select the record…. hit the “GO” Button
  • View the Proxy information, the passphrase and what the student has selected to be shared.
  • If there is no information, then the student has yet to create Proxy Access for a parent/guardian/other. No information may be shared.
  • Questions regarding BANNER access, please email [email protected]

For those faculty with Starfish Access:

  • From myPennWest, find the Starfish Card and SIGNIN.
  • From Starfish, click the ≡ menu icon in the upper left.
  • Click Students. Search for your student and click their name to pull up their student folder.
  • Click the Notes link on the left and look for a FERPA Proxy Information note.
  • If a student gave a parent/guardian permission to their records the note will show here.
  • Click the + to expand and view the information.
  • The passphrase is in all CAPS.
  • If the FERPA Proxy Note is not here. The student did not give anyone permission to their records. No information may be shared.

For Starfish questions, email [email protected]