FERPA

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (“FERPA”) is a federal law governing the privacy of educational records. The law, also known at the Buckley Amendment, applies to all educational agencies or institutions that receive funds under any program administered by the US Department of Education. FERPA applies to personally identifiable information in educational records. This includes items such as the student’s name, addresses, personal identifiers such as social security numbers, and personal characteristics or other information that make the student’s identity easily traceable.

 

With regards to Student Conduct, two caveats of sharing information from FERPA apply:

  1. Sharing information to appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency in order to protect the student or others;
  2. Sharing information to parents in cases of drug or alcohol violation when the student is under the age of 21.

When a student under the age of 21 accepts or is found responsible for violating the Alcohol and/or Drug Code of Conduct, typically, a letter of parental notification is sent to the mailing address provided in the student official university records.

For more detailed information of FERPA and students’ rights, please visit