Yesterday, the Daily reported on a little known practice of Multicultural Student Affairs advisors being able to access the grades of minority students, often without the students knowing about it.

The policy is well-meaning, apparently meant to make sure that students are not falling behind and keeping the rate of retention at a respectable level, but the policy seems outdated at best.

I spoke to a friend about the policy, who has received emails in the past from "people [he's] never met" congratulating him on a particularly good quarter of grades. I see where the policy came from and I see why people would/wouldn't be angry, but I just don't get it. Is it normal for student offices to have access to grades like this and make unsolicited contact? And why only minority/multicultural students and not the student body as a whole?

Maybe I didn't understand the article as clearly as I thought I did (and to be honest, there are a lot of non-answers and "no comments") but I do not understand how this is a fair and acceptable practice.

Thoughts in the comments?