FERPA Overview for New Faculty

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of student education records. More information concerning FERPA regulations and confidentiality, including how this directly affects your course, can be found on the Office of the Registrar's website. 

Faculty members have some responsibilities under FERPA:

Release of Student Records - With the exception of "directory information," FERPA prohibits the release of a student's educational records, or personally identifiable information contained in an educational record, to third parties including a student's parents without the student's written consent. If students want you to speak to their parents or serve as a reference, be sure to obtain permission in writing.

Public Posting of Grades - FERPA prohibits the use of any personally identifiable information in the posting of student test scores and grades. This act prohibits the listing of grades by student name, initials, or any other personal identifiers, such as a social security number, that would disclose a student's identity to others.