FERPA for Faculty, Staff and Student Workers
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended entitle students to review "official records, files, and data directly related" to the students which the university maintains. Students may also request a hearing regarding any alleged "inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate" information. In most circumstances, the university will not release information from student’s records to third parties without their consent. An interpretation of the law is printed below, and copies of it are available in the Registration and Records Office, Room 101, Student Services Center.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, requires that students be advised of their rights concerning their education records and of certain categories of public information which the university has designated "directory information."
What is meant by the term "directory information?"
The university, in accordance with the act, has
designated the following categories of information about students as
public unless they choose to exercise your right to have any or all
of this information withheld. This information will be routinely
released to any inquirer unless students request that all or part of
this be withheld.
These categories are:
- Name
- Home address
- Home telephone number
- Local address
- Local telephone number
- E-mail address
- Place of birth
- Major/minor field of study, and college
- Participation in officially recognized university activities and sports
- Weight and height of members of athletics teams
- Attendance (including beginning, ending, registration and withdrawal dates; credits carried in a term; current classification; and graduation dates)
- Degrees and awards received (type of degree and date granted)
- The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended
- Name of parents or guardian
- High School from which students graduated
The following basic rules should be followed by UW-Stevens Point faculty, staff, and student workers:
Rule #1: |
FERPA recognizes a person enrolled in post-secondary education as a "student" and provides that individual certain rights, regardless of age. Therefore, a parent does not have an inherent right to access his/her student's education records. |
Rule #2: |
Faculty, staff, and student workers have access to education records for the sole purpose of performing their jobs professionally and responsibly. They have a responsibility to protect the confidentiality of education records in their possession, regardless of the medium in which the records are presented. |
Rule #3: |
Education records are considered confidential and may not be released, with the exception of unrestricted Directory Information. In some instances students may have restricted their directory information so it is the responsibility of faculty, staff, and student workers to verify that Directory Information is not restricted before releasing it. |
Posting Grades:
Posting education records (e.g. grades) using the student's name, student ID number, or any portion of the social security number violates FERPA. Instructors are encouraged to use D2L to communicate grades and grade progress to their students. If grades need to be posted, faculty should use a random number that only the instructor and the student know.
Any questions regarding FERPA guidelines should be directed to Registration and Records, Room 101 SSC, or by calling 715-346-4301.