Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is committed to the protection and confidentiality of student educational records, adhering closely to the guidelines established by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act – a Federal Law established to regulate access and maintenance of student educational records.
The law applies to all educational institutions that provide educational services to students. The guidelines outlined here are to help faculty and staff continue our compliance efforts with FERPA.
FERPA rights apply to any student who is or has been in attendance at UW – Stevens Point. These rights are exercised by the student (even students under 18) in postsecondary institutions whereas in elementary and secondary schools the rights are exercised by the parent.
Directory Information
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, in accordance with the FERPA Privacy Act, has designated the following categories of information about you as public unless you choose to exercise your right to have any or all of this information withheld. This information will be routinely released to any inquirer unless you request that all or part of this be withheld.
- Name
- Address (campus, local and home)
- E-mail address (campus)
- Place of birth
- Major/minor field(s) of study, degrees sought, school/college and student type (e.g. undergraduate)
- Participation in officially recognized university activities and sports
- Weight and height of athletes
- Enrollment Status, including academic level (e.g. sophomore), full-or part-time status, and credit load
- Dates of Attendance, including beginning and end dates
- Expected graduation date/term, and intent to participate in commencement
- Degrees, honors 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 you graduated
UW-Stevens Point has designated date of birth as limited directory information. It will only be released to official agencies as required for matching student records or as a validation of positive identification of a student when provided by a person making an inquiry.
Non-Directory Information
Non-directory information is any education record not classified as directory information. This information is private and will not be released to anyone, without written consent from the student. University employees may access this information, only if they have a legitimate need to use it in fulfillment of official duties. Non-directory information includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Advising notes
- Class Schedules
- Courses completed
- Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA)
- Personal Email Address
- Race/Ethnicity
- Residency status
- Social Security Number
- Student Conduct Records
- Student Identification Numbers
- Telephone Numbers
- Transfer-status
Education Record
An education record is any record that is directly related to a student and is kept by the University. This is an extremely broad definition, therefore, unless one of the exceptions noted below applies, it is best to assume that if it relates to a student it is an education record.
There are several exceptions to the definition of an education record under FERPA. Some key exceptions are:
- Sole possession records – faculty records or advising records that are not disclosed to other parties except someone who must serve as substitute for a given course. Personal grade books or draft exams are examples of these records. However, even though a student might not have right to access the personal grade book, due process might require access to the student’s own grades under some circumstances such as a grade grievance. A student’s transcript is an education record.
- Records of a law enforcement unit of the educational agency or institution that were created by that law enforcement unit for the purpose of law enforcement.
- Employment records unless employment is a result of student status, such as work study.
- Medical treatment records may not be considered an education record but they are confidential under other law and professional ethics requirements.
FERPA Training Sessions
The Office of the Registrar offers personalized FERPA training sessions for colleges, departments and other groups interested in learning more about student privacy rights and responsibilities. Please contact The Office of the Registrar to request a session.