Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Rights of Students

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

• The right to inspect and review the student's educational records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access. If the student is a current student, it is the policy of the University that the student may review his/her file upon showing identification to the Registrar's Office. Former students should submit to the registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect.  The Registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
  
  
• The right to request the amendment of the student's educational records of which the student believes is inaccurate. Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate.  They should write the Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.  Any dispute concerning grades is not amendable through FERPA. 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 procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
  
  
• The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the Council of Trustees; the National Student Clearinghouse; contractors, volunteers and service providers used to perform university services and functions, or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. 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. The university is also permitted to disclose the education records of a student to another school without consent, if the student receives services from the other school.  This would include records of students who are enrolled in a collaborative program resulting in dual enrollment in Shippensburg University and another institution of higher education.
  
  
• As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program.  The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution.  Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities.  In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.
  
  
• The 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 are:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605

Directory information at Shippensburg University is name, home and local address and phone number, enrollment status, email address, major, degree and honors.  If a student does not want this information released, he/she must inform the Registrar's Office of this request.  A Release of Information form can be completed and submitted to the Registrar's Office.  If a student initiates a request that directory information is not to be released, he/she must realize that any request for verification of attendance, graduation, dean's list, etc. from any outside source will be denied.  Shippensburg University does not make directory information generally available to the public.  Shippensburg University limits its release of directory information for official University purposes, e.g., (1) identifying athletic team members; (2) publishing names of scholarship recipients, graduation lists and Dean’s Lists; (3) issuing academic awards; (4) verifying enrollment or degree status; and (5) providing such information to organizations that are officially affiliated with the University or with whom the University has a contractual relationship, including InCommon Research and Scholarship providers.  See 34 C.F.R §99.37(d).

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Information for Faculty

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. 

As faculty, you have the educational right to view and access student information (academic history, grades, transfer records and advising notes). This access comes with responsibilities to protect those students' records and information.

Shippensburg University does not make directory information generally available to the public. Shippensburg University limits its release of directory information for official University purposes, e.g.,

• identifying athletic team members
• publishing names of scholarship recipients, graduation lists and Dean’s Lists
• issuing academic awards
• verifying enrollment or degree status; and
• providing such information to organizations that are officially affiliated with the University or with whom the University has a contractual relationship.

See 34 C.F.R §99.37(d). The word "Confidential" appears on many screens within Banner and is used to identify students who have requested that their directory information is not to be released. Directory information includes name, home/local addresses and phone numbers, email address, enrollment status, major, degree and honors. Any information other than directory information cannot be released to anyone.

As instructors, you have access to students' grades. Grades are private information and only the student is able to view this information. This includes parents and spouses. It is Shippensburg's policy that we do not discuss a student's record with anyone over the phone. If a parent wants information concerning a student, they must first prove they claimed the student on their income taxes and then the request must be in writing and your response should be in writing. The student must give written permission to allow you to share grades with anyone who is not part of the student's educational interest.

Social Security and student ID numbers are considered personally identifiable information. You may not use these numbers or a portion of these numbers to post grades in public view. Graded papers should be given to students in class or left with staff to keep in the building office for pick up. Leaving papers outside your office for students to go through is not protecting our students' privacy.

As advisors, you have access to student's transcripts, transfer evaluations and degree audits. These are to be kept private as well. Whether the files are in your administrative office or your own private office, please keep these files from view when you aren't working with the student.

If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar's Office for clarification.