FERPA for Students

What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (also known as the Buckley Amendment) is a Federal law that helps protect the privacy of student education records. The Act provides students the right to inspect and review education records, the right to seek to amend those records, and the right to limit disclosure of information from the records. The intent of the legislation is to protect the rights of students and to ensure the privacy and accuracy of education records. The Act applies to all institutions that are recipients of federal aid administered by the Secretary of Education.

When do my FERPA Rights Begin?

Your FERPA rights begin when you have enrolled; that is, when you have scheduled classes, paid fees and classes have begun.

FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

FERPA governs and protects students’ rights to their individual educational records. The primary rights protected under FERPA are as follows.

1. Students’ rights to review and inspect their educational records within 45 days from the day the University receives a request for access.
   
   Students should submit to the appropriate office (see below) written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. 

 

2. Students’ rights to have their educational records amended or corrected.

   Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the director of the appropriate office, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

   If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing will be provided to the student when notified of a hearing.

3. Students’ rights to control disclosure of certain portions of their educational records.

   One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. All students’ educational records are open to the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellors, the academic deans and directors, and the Dean of Students. In addition, the following individuals are also Louisiana State University officials.

   • A person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position, including health and medical staff and teaching assistants and student assistants.
   • A person appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
   • A person employed by or under contract to the University to perform a special task, such as a University attorney.
   • A person employed by the LSU Police Department.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

4. Students’ right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is as follows:
   
   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Ave., SW
   Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

What are “Education Records?”

With certain exceptions, education records are records which directly related to a student and are maintained by the University or a party acting for the University.

A student has the right of access to these records.

Education records include any records in whatever medium (handwritten, print, magnetic tape, film, diskette, etc.) that are in the possession of any school official. This includes transcripts or other records obtained from a school at which a student was previously enrolled.

What is not included in an education record?

• Sole possession records or private notes held by school officials that are not accessible or released to other personnel;
• Law enforcement or campus security records that are solely for law enforcement purposes and maintained solely by the law enforcement unit;
• Records relating to individuals who are employed by the institution (unless contingent upon attendance);
• Records relating to treatment provide by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional and disclosed only to individuals providing treatment; and
• Records of an institution that contain information about an individual obtained only after that person is no longer a student at that institution, i.e., alumni records.
• Financial information submitted by parents.
• Education records containing information about more than one student; however, in such cases the institution must permit access to that part of the record which pertains only to the inquiring student.

What is Directory Information?

Directory information is information contained in an educational record of a student that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.
Louisiana State University has established the following as directory information and it may be released to those requesting it, unless the student specifically requests otherwise by submitting written notification to the Office of the University Registrar.

• Student’s name, local address, and telephone number
• Student’s home address
• Student’s e-mail address
• Student’s major field of study/classification
• Student’s participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams
• Dates of student’s attendance*
• Degrees, awards, and honors received by student*
• The most recent previous educational institution attended by the student

*Please note that enrollment and degree verification are processed via the National Student Clearinghouse and may require a fee for release. 

Louisiana State University will not disclose any other information without written consent from the student, with some exceptions as provided by FERPA.

Students have the right to refuse the disclosure of personally identifiable information as directory information subject to other overriding provisions of law. To withhold directory information, students must fill out the Request to Prevent Disclosure of Information form located in the Office of the University Registrar, Room 112, Thomas Boyd Hall.

If a student has chosen to restrict the release of directory information, NO information can be released without further written permission of the student. Should someone inquire about an individual who has restricted the release of his/her directory information, the appropriate faculty/staff response is, “I am sorry, I do not have any information on any such person.”

For more information concerning the privacy rights of students, please refer to the official university policy statement, PS-30: Student Privacy Rights.

FERPA Questions or Concerns

Office of the University Registrar
Louisiana State University
Room 112, Thomas Boyd Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Telephone: 225-578-1686
E-mail: registrar@lsu.edu

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