Iowa State will no longer mail grade reports to students at the end of the semester unless requested, according to the ISU registrar’s office. Instead, students will receive their grades through AccessPlus in an effort to save time and money, said Registrar Kathleen Jones. “In part, it has to do with the cost of mailing,” she said. “Using AccessPlus will make it possible for students to see their grades earlier than in the past because there will not be any waiting time for the grades to go through the mail.” Jones said it should be convenient for students to look at their grades on AccessPlus because “they’re used to getting information that way.” If students need to have a hard copy mailed to them or someone else, Jones said, they should visit AccessPlus, and print off a request form located under the category Office of the Registrar. It should then be taken to the office in 214 Alumni Hall. Chris Newman, freshman in pre-landscape architecture, said it will be a hassle to print off request forms for grade reports. “It’s an inconvenience,” he said. “It should be easier for our parents to get our grades when they pay so much for us to go here.” Crystal Walker, sophomore in child and family services, said she has not used AccessPlus a lot, so it may be difficult for her to find her grades online. She said she doesn’t mind searching the Web if it’s saving money, but she said she would like to see the money saved go towards causes the students support, such as improved parking or a tuition decrease. Iowa State is not the only institution moving in this direction. Jones said institutions similar to Iowa State have already made the switch or are in the process. The University of Northern Iowa will make the switch this fall; the University of Iowa is still considering the change for a later date. The system is designed to protect student privacy, Jones said. While viewing AccessPlus grade reports, information is kept private by not including the student’s name on the screen. Therefore, if students forget to log off, their accounts are secure. Grades can be Accessed at: http://www.adp.iastate.edu/accessplus.html