Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
- FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) is a federal law pertaining to the release of and access to student educational records. FERPA protects students’ rights regarding the privacy and accuracy of education records. FERPA applies to all schools that receive funds under applicable programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Institutions are responsible for ensuring that all of its school officials comply with FERPA. Failure to comply could ultimately lead to a withholding of funds administered by the Secretary of Education.
- Student records are categorized into 2 groups: Directory Information and Non-Directory Records.
Directory Information
Directory Information is general information about a student, and a student has the ability to restrict the release of directory information. Directory Information includes:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Area of study
- Dates of attendance
- Degrees and certificates received
- Participation in officially recognized activities.
Non-Directory Information
Non-Directory information are other student records that are not considered directory information. Non-directory information has to have written consent of the student before being released. Non-directory information includes:
- Social security number
- Student ID number
- Grade point average
- Transcripts, grades
Preventing Release of Directory Information
Shawnee College submits enrollment data on students to the National Student Clearinghouse. The information includes student’s name, date of birth, number of hours enrolled at Shawnee for the current semester, the student’s program, and graduation date.
Under FERPA, students have the right to request that some or all of their directory information be withheld. If you wish to do so, please submit this form to the Registrar’s Office no later than 2 weeks after the start of the semester.
Policy
Please refer to Operating Standard A3100.20.