Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records. Nevertheless, FERPA only gives parents certain limited rights with respect to access of their own children's education records. These rights transfer exclusively to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level.
Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students." In consequence, college students at California University may elect to anticipate that their parents (or spouse) will need to have prior authorization to periodically review their permanent records, grades or other specific files. Authorization to Disclose Information forms, available on the right, can be downloaded and placed in the student's permanent record at the student's request.
Eligible students have the right to inspect and review education records maintained by California University, but the school is not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.
Broadly defined educational records - including applications for admission to the University, grades, enrollment history, curriculum changes and academic standing - are maintained in the Academic Records Office. Under routine circumstances, these records in Academic Records do not include judicial or disciplinary records, billing and finances, or medical records. Various offices on campus have separate jurisdiction for maintaining those files.
Eligible students have the right to request that a school
correct records that they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the
school decides not to amend the record, the eligible student then has
the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still
decides not to amend the record, the eligible student has the right to
place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about
the contested information.
Generally, schools must have written permission from the eligible
student in order to release any information from a student's education
record. Consequently, all transcript requests must be submitted with
signed approval of the student before the Academic Records Office is
authorized to release that record.
However, FERPA allows California University to disclose those records,
without consent, to the following parties or under the following
conditions:
- School officials with legitimate educational interest
- Other schools to which a student is transferring
- Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes
- Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student
- Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school
- Accrediting organizations
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
- Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies
- State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law
FERPA allows schools to disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. California University does not include student addresses, telephone numbers, and birth dates in our local definition of "directory" information. However, California University does consider dates of attendance, graduation dates and programs of study as "directory" information.
Authorization to Disclose Forms
FERPA Consent Form to Release Student Information (for Bursar's Office Only)
Authorization for Release of School Records (for Academic Records Office Only)
More Information
For more specific information concerning FERPA, visit:
http://www.ed.gov/print/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
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