The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) covers most records generated by an educational institution, including those covering subjects other than academics.

1. How FERPA Works
By Emmanuel Lalande

2. Emmanuel Lalande has worked in higher
education administration for many years, and
currently serves as the vice president for
enrollment management of Benedict College in
Columbia, South Carolina. Emmanuel Lalande has
dealt with many aspects of higher education
administration, including regulatory compliance.

3. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) covers most records generated by an
educational institution, including those covering
subjects other than academics. Virtually any record
that can be directly related to a past or present
student, whether by expressly identifying the student
or by giving sufficient information to identify that
student by demographic or descriptive background,
falls under FERPA. Universities and other higher
education institutions cannot disclose records
covered by FERPA, with a handful of exceptions.

4. Directory information can be disclosed by the
university. This includes a student's address and
telephone number, as well as degrees and
awards, years of attendance, and participation in
official activities.

5. Other information requires the student to
consent to the disclosure or a legal exception
to the requirement for consent. Common
exemptions include health and safety issues, as
well as documents related to legal proceeding,
such as crimes of violence.