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Table of Contents
What is FERPA?
Who Enforces FERPA?
Who is Covered by FERPA?
What is an Educational Record?
What is Directory Information?
Who Can Access a Student’s Records?
What Happens if FERPA is Violated?
Where Can I Find Out More Information?
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What is FERPA? How does it affect you?
• FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It was
introduced in 1974 by New York Senator James Buckley.
• FERPA is “a federal law designed to protect the privacy of
educational records, to establish the right of students to inspect
and review their educational records, and to provide guidelines for
the correction of inaccurate and misleading data through informal
and formal hearings” (FERPA Handout).
• As a student have you had these things happen to you because of
FERPA?
– Have you ever tried to get your transcript from the school and they
required you to show your Photo ID?
– Have you attempted to call the school to register for a class and was
told you had to come in to register?
– Have you ever been required to fill out and hand sign a form to send
information to your insurance agent?
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What is FERPA? How does it affect you?
Continued…
• Have you as an employee of an educational institution had these
situations happen to you because of FERPA?
– Had to come to the Registrar’s office to get a grade change form?
– Have to check the BUCKLEY form to make sure that the parent of a
student has permission to know the students grade?
– Been told by your department head that you cannot post students
grades in the classroom?
• All non-directory information is protected under FERPA and cannot
be released with out the written consent of the student.
• FERPA allows students a chance to view their educational records
and give them the right to seek revision to incorrect information on
their record.
• FERPA also allows the student to make all of their information
directory and non-directory information condifential.
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Who Enforces FERPA?
• For FERPA related questions you can contact the
Associate Registrar at 328-6747. If you feel that your
privacy has been violated, you can contact the
Associate Registrar and they will facilitate an
investigation to ensure that your privacy is upheld.
• FERPA is enforced by the Family Policy Compliance
Office in Washington DC. You can contact them at their
address:
– Family Policy Compliance Office
US Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington DC 20202-4605
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Review 1
CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWER
1. Student’s cannot view their educational record.
a. True
b. False
2. FERPA applies to which of the following institutions:
a. Public
b. Private
c. Religious
d. Public and Private
3. Who enforces FERPA?
a. FBI
b. State Police
c. Family Compliance Office
d. Chancellor
4. What is required for a student to get a copy of their transcript?
a. A letter from their parent verifying their identity.
b. A photo ID.
c. A debit card with their name only on it.
d. A high school prom photo.
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Review 1 Answers
1. Student’s cannot view their educational record.
a. True
b. False-Students have a right to view their educational records.
2. FERPA applies to which of the following institutions:
a. Public
b. Private
c. Religious
d. Public and Private-Both public and private educational institutions must uphold FERPA.
3. Who enforces FERPA?
a. FBI
b. State Police
c. Family Compliance Office-The Family Compliance Office in Washington DC enforces FERPA.
d. Chancellor
4. What is required for a student to get a copy of their transcript?
a. A letter from their parent verifying their identity.
b. A photo ID-A good photo ID is required for a student to get a copy of their transcript.
c. A debit card with their name only on it.
d. A high school prom photo.
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Who is Covered by FERPA?
• Students of all institutions that receive federal funding are
covered by FERPA… but who is considered a student at a
higher education institution?
– A student is currently enrolled or has been enrolled at an
educational institution.
• *FERPA rights start as soon as the student is “in attendance” at the
institution.*
– A student can be any age.
– A student can live anywhere in the country.
– A student can still be a dependent of their parents.
– A student will be covered by FERPA as long as they are living.
– A student is not a person who has applied to the institution but
never attended.
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What is and is not an Educational
Record?
• An educational record can be a piece of paper,
a computer printout, an email, a hand written
note, a file in a computer, a transcript, an
enrollment verification or any type of record
where a student can be personally identified.
• Educational records are not law enforcement
or campus security records, medical records,
private notes in ones sole possession or
employment records.
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What is Directory Information?
Student Name
Address (Including
E-Mail Address)
Telephone Listing
Date and Place of
Birth
Major Field of Study
Participation in
Officially Recognized
Activities and Sports
Dates of Attendance
Weight & Height of
Athletic Team
Members
Degrees and Awards
Received
Most Recent
Previous Educational
Agency or
Institution Attended
Directory information is information that can be released without the written
consent of the student. If a student does not want their directory information
disclosed they can mark their educational file as confidential.
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Who Can Access a Student’s Record?
• A student can access their records with photo id.
• Employees of educational institutions can access
student records for institutional purposes.
• If given access by the BUCKLEY form, parents,
family members, friends, etc. can obtain
information about a students record.
– *The BUCKELY form is a web-form on ECU OneStop
where a student can add names of individuals they
want to have access to their records. The student can
choose what type of information (academic, judicial,
or financial) that person can obtain.*
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What Happens if FERPA is Violated?
• Other than the obvious fact that the student’s privacy rights have been
violated, the Family Compliance Office may cut federal funding. If federal
funding is cut students will not be able to get financial aid and faculty will
not be able to get research grants.
• Here are a few things you can do to ensure you do not violate FERPA:
– Do not leave sensitive educational records on your desk when you are not
there.
– Do not make multiple copies of sensitive information to store at different
locations.
– If you are unsure where a certain piece of information is considered directory
check first before you disclose that information.
– Always look at the BUCKLEY form before talking to parents and family of
students.
– Do not post grades in a public place with names, SSN #’s or any other easily
identifiable information.
– Lock your office door, desk, file cabinet and computer when you step away
from your office.
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Where Can I Find Out More
Information?
• You can contact the Office of the Registrar by
coming to 105 Whichard Building on Main
Campus.
• You can call 328-6525 or 328-6524.
• You can email regis@ecu.edu
• You can visit the Registrar website at
www.ecu.ecu/cs-acad/registrar
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Review 2
1. What is an educational record?
a. A sticky note with a students name and social.
b. A computer file on an instructors computer with scientific names of butterflies.
c. A paper in the sole possession of an instructor.
d. Campus Security records.
2. If FERPA is violated what could happen?
a. The Chancellor can be fired.
b. The school will be closed.
c. Students will be expelled.
d. The school will loose federal funding.
3. Where can you go to find out more information about FERPA?
a. The Cashiers Office.
b. The Admissions Office.
c. The Student Union.
d. The Registrar’s Office.
4. Students cannot be dependents.
a. True
b. False
5. What is a BUCKLEY form?
a. A form that students use to request their educational records.
b. A form that teachers use to assign grades.
c. A form that students give to their parents to pay their tuition.
d. A form that students maintain to give individuals access to their educational records.
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Review 2
Continued…
6. Parents can access their students records without student consent if they are paying their tuition?
a. True
b. False
7. Instructors can post grades in the classroom using the students names or social security numbers to
identify the students.
a. True
b. False
8. Which of the following is not directory information?
a. Date of Birth
b. Degree Awarded
c. Major Field of Study
d. GPA
9. If a student does not want their directory information to be they can mark their file as confidential.
a. True
b. False
10. A student is considered to be all of the following except
a. An individual that completed an admissions application but not attend.
b. An individual that attend the institution for several years.
c. Someone whose parents pay their tuition.
d. An individual that is retired from the work force and came back to school.
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References
• "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA)." Greenville: East Carolina University,
n.d.
• Fleming, Amanda. "What is FERPA?"
Greenville: East Carolina University, n.d.
