Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Students who are currently enrolled in higher education institutions or formerly enrolled, regardless of their age or status in regard to parental dependency. Students who have applied but have not attended an institution do not have rights under FERPA.

Students have a right to know about the purposes, content and location of information kept as part of their educational records. They have a right to gain access to and challenge the content of their educational records. They have a right to expect that information in their educational records will be kept confidential, disclosed only with their permission or under provisions of the law. Students have a right to permit or prevent disclosure of certain information in their educational records. Parents have the right to expect confidentiality of certain information about them in student records.

Student educational records are specifically defined as records, files, documents and other materials that contain information directly related to a student and maintained by the college or someone acting for the college according to policy. Excluded from student educational records are records of instructional, supervisory and administrative personnel and ancillary educational personnel in the sole possession of the maker and that are not accessible or revealed to any other person, except a substitute. Additionally, notes of a professor or staff member intended for his/her own use are not part of the educational record, nor are records of police services, application records of students not admitted to the college, alumni records, or records of physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, or other recognized professionals. Records relating to an individual who is employed by an educational agency or institution not as a result of his/her status as a student are also excluded. However, employment records relating to college students who are employed as a result of their status as students are considered educational records.

• Sole-possession records or private notes held by educational personnel which are not accessible or released to other personnel
• Law enforcement or campus security records which are solely for law enforcement purposes
• Records relating to an individual's employment by the institution (unless employment is contingent on student status)
• Records relating to treatment provided by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional and disclosed only to individuals providing treatment
• Records of an institution which contain only information about an individual obtained after that person is no longer a student at that institution (i.e., alumni records)

• Any information that pertains to another student
• Financial records of the student's parents
• Some confidential letters and statements of recommendation under conditions described in FERPA section 99.12.

Institutions may disclose information on a student without violating FERPA through what is known as "directory information". This generally includes a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized sports and activities, weight and height of athletes, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received and other similar information. Each institution is required to annually notify students in attendance of what constitutes directory information. This notice must also provide procedures for students to restrict the institution from releasing his/her directory information.

• School officials who have "legitimate educational interests" as defined in the college's annual FERPA notification
• Parents of a "dependent student" as defined by the Internal Revenue Code
• The issuer of a judicial order or subpoena which allows the institution to release records without the student's consent, however, a "reasonable effort" must generally be made to notify the student before complying with the order

With specific exceptions (listed below), a signed and dated consent by the student must be provided by the student before any disclosure is made. The written consent must:

• Specify the records that may be disclosed
• State the purpose of disclosure
• Identify the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made

• The student's name
• Name of the student's parent or other family members
• Address of the student or student's family
• A personal identifier, such as a social security number or student number
• A list of personal characteristics that would make the student's identity easily traceable

The exceptions are:

• To college faculty, staff, and administrators with a legitimate educational interest (defined in the college's annual notification)
• To parents of a "dependent student"
• To Federal, State and local education authorities involving an audit or evaluation of compliance with education programs
• In connection with processing Financial Aid
• To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational institutions
• To accrediting organizations
• To transfer college if student has formally applied for admission to attend the transfer college
• To comply with judicial order or subpoena
• Health or safety emergency
• Directory information
• To the student
• Results of disciplinary hearing to an alleged victim of a crime of violence

Requests to disclose should always be handled with caution and approached on a case-by-case basis.

The use of computerized record-keeping systems is increasing at a tremendous rate. Electronic data will eventually replace most paper documents. We try to ensure that appropriate policies are established to protect the confidentiality of those records, educate faculty, administrators, staff, and students, about the policies, and make sure the policies are enforced. The same principles of confidentiality must be applied to electronic data as apply to paper documents. These general guidelines are not intended to be legal advice. This document provides only a summary of FERPA.