Student Identity Verification

Pre-Admission Student Identity Verification Policy (all JWU students) 

Policy

A. The university must validate the identity of any student applicant before the university grants such student applicant access to any university database or system or email address other than any database or system solely for applicants. 

B. The College of Professional Studies (“CPS”) must provide an Intent to Enroll Form to any applicant to CPS and ensure such applicant submits a fully completed Intent to Enroll Form, prior to being granted access to any university database or system. The Intent to Enroll Form shall contain at least the following information: First Name, Last Name, Personal Email, and Phone Number.

C. All applicants, to CPS or otherwise, must submit a copy of an official photo identification document (i.e., driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued identification). 

1. CPS applicants must submit their official photo identification during the application process and before commencing their first class. 

2. All other students must present their official photo identification during orientation when they get their student IDs. For any student who does not get their student IDs during orientation, Student Financial Services will generate an “exception report” and will meet with each student identified on the report to review such student’s official photo identification. Student Financial Services will issue a student ID to such students only insofar as Student Financial Services verifies that it is appropriate to do so. The “exception report” will contain at least the following information: First Name, Last Name, Phone Number, Personal Email Address, Campus, and Start Date.

D. Further, CPS will review all CPS applicants in LexisNexis or a similar database to confirm that an applicant’s name, address, phone number, and email match the information on their application. Those whose information substantially matches will be considered to have their identity validated. Those whose information does not substantially match will be subject to additional identity verification steps, starting with an identity verification survey. If an applicant fails to successfully complete the survey, a video interview shall be scheduled in which the applicant’s official photo identification must be shown. Any applicant who does not successfully complete the verification process shall not be admitted to the university.

College of Professional Studies Student Identity Verification Policy (CPS students only)

Policy

A. CPS must confirm that any student who registers for a CPS course is the same student who academically engages in the program in the fashion described below. 

B. At the same time, CPS must protect student privacy and notify students of any projected fees associated with identity verification.

Procedures

A. Verification Methods

1. JWU uses a secure login and password to ensure each student who registers for a CPS course is the same student who participates in the CPS course. It does so as follows:

a) During the admissions process, each student receives a unique student identification (“ID”) number (J#).

b) Each student receives a unique and secure network account linked to the student ID. This network account is used to sign into the university’s learning management system and other major applications, such as email.

c) All users requesting assistance to reset passwords or to gain access to various systems are asked for two or more types of information to compare against data stored in the administrative system, such as student ID, date of birth, last four digits of their social security number, or other similar information.

B. Faculty teaching CPS courses must incorporate one or more of the following additional methods for identity verification post-enrollment: 

1. Virtual proctored exams;

2. Live or recorded video assignments or interactions with faculty or classmates (with an official government identification presented as to interactions with faculty only);

3. Virtual meetings with faculty (with an official government identification presented); or

4. New or other technologies or practices that are effective in verifying the identity of students and are approved by the university in advance.

C. Further, JWU’s Academic Integrity Policy prohibits cheating and includes use of plagiarism-detection software. 

D. All university identity verification processes must protect student privacy in accordance with applicable law and regulations, including the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”).