FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to protect the confidentiality of student education records. The law states that, except in specified circumstances, no one outside the institution shall have access to a student's education records, nor will the institution disclose any information from those records without the written consent of the student.

"Education records" are records that:

1. Contain information that is directly related to a student.
2. Are maintained by an education agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution.

Records that are kept in the sole possession of the maker for use only as a memory aid and not shared with others.

• Records created by Public Safety for a law enforcement purpose and maintained by Public Safety.
• Certain employment records that relate exclusively to an individual's employment capacity. However, Student Employment records are considered education records under FERPA.
• Medical and psychological records made, maintained, or used only in connection with the treatment of the student.
• Post-attendance records (alumni records).

Note: In most circumstances, students do not have the right to review their parents' financial records or confidential recommendations to which they have waived access.

• Right to inspect and review education records.
• Right to request amendment of education records.
• Right to have some control over the disclosure of information from education records.
• Right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning alleged failures by the education agency or institution to comply with the requirements of the act.

At the post-secondary level, parents have no inherent rights to inspect a student's education record. The right to inspect is limited solely to the student.

Parents may gain access to non-directory information (grades, GPA, etc.) if they obtain consent from the student.

The preferred method for students to allow access to parents is by completing the FERPA Authorization form available in the Hofstra portal. Through this form students can, at their discretion, grant access to their records. (Learn how to complete FERPA Authorization form.) A paper version of the FERPA Authorization form is also available at the Student Financial Services & Registrar Suite, Room 206 Memorial Hall, or download the form from Hofstra's website.

Once authorization is granted, parents may obtain information from the Student Financial Services & Registrar Suite by calling 516-463-8000, visiting Room 206 Memorial Hall, or emailing Registrar@hofstra.edu.

Hofstra University may release appropriately designated “directory information” without the student’s written consent, unless the student has advised the University to the contrary in accordance with the University procedures.

Hofstra University has designated the following as directory information: the student's name, address, telephone number, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate; full-time or part-time), participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent education agency or institution attended.

If students do not want Hofstra University to disclose directory information from their education records without their prior written consent, they must notify the Office of Academic Records/Registrar in writing. A form requesting nondisclosure may be obtained at the Student Financial Services & Registrar Suite, Room 206 Memorial Hall. Status of nondisclosure is binding until such time that Hofstra is notified in writing by the student to permit release of "directory information."

Hofstra University reserves the right to withhold directory information at its discretion.

Pursuant to FERPA, the University may disclose a student's education records without a student's written consent under certain conditions. These include but are not limited to:

• Disclosure to a school official who has a legitimate educational interest.
• Disclosure to an education auditing or enforcing agency of a federal or state-supported program.
• Disclosure associated with eligibility for financial aid.
• Disclosure pursuant to a court order or subpoena.
• Disclosure that is necessary to protect the safety of the student or other persons.

In compliance with FERPA, Hofstra University annually notifies students of the rights afforded to them under FERPA by publishing the University's FERPA policy on the University's website, in the University's Undergraduate and Graduate Studies Bulletins and in the Guide to Pride.

• U.S. Dept. of Education, Student Privacy Policy Office: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/