FERPA For Faculty and Staff Access

As a faculty or staff member, it is required for you to understand students’ rights under FERPA. As an employee, you are obligated to comply with FERPA and to protect students’ education records according to the law. If you receive a request from a third party for a student's information, please consult with the Office of the Registrar.

Faculty and Staff Recommendations

Do

  • Return papers and tests in a secure manner
  • Develop retention practices for sensitive information, keeping ONLY what is required by law and the
  • Dispose of material containing confidential student information by shredding or placing them in a receptacle intended for disposal of confidential information
  • Refer any inquiries for student information by law enforcement officials to the Office of General Counsel

Do Not

  • Disclose information to a student or University official before authenticating the identity of the person
  • Disclose confidential non-directory information about a student to the media
  • Link a student’s name with their social security number, student ID number, or any portion of these numbers
  • Send confidential information such as grades in an email
  • Include confidential information such as grades or GPA in a recommendation without the written consent of the student
  • Provide anyone with lists or files of students enrolled in your class for any commercial purpose
  • Provide anyone with student schedules or assist anyone other than university employees in finding a student on campus
  • Access the records of any student for a purpose other than university business
  • Disclose any student’s personal information to anyone without their consent

Release without Prior Consent

There are scenarios where you may not have prior consent from a student but you may release information. You may release directory or non-directory information only in the following scenarios:

  • The information is being requested by a school official with a legitimate educational interest. If you have questions or concerns about a request, contact the Office of the Registrar for guidance.
  • For health and safety emergencies: Contact the Office of the Registrar for guidance.

51ԹϺ periodically receives other types of requests and may release student information without prior consent. Any 51ԹϺ employee may receive these requests and should direct them to the entities identified below.

The following requests should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar via The Office of Public Records::

  • Organizations conducting studies to improve instruction
  • Accrediting organizations for programs that undergo oversight by an accrediting board

All judicial orders, subpoenas, and law enforcement inquiries should be directed to the 51ԹϺ General Counsel.

*If a student has a “no release” on their record, the university may not release any information to a third party except to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena or for a health and safety emergency.