Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

What are my FERPA rights?
As a student you have four primary rights under FERPA:

1. the right to inspect your education records maintained by WKU;
2. the right to request  WKU correct any information in your education records you believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of your privacy rights;
3. the right to exercise control over your education records whether by release of your student information to parties outside of WKU or to withhold your information from all parties (with certain exceptions, as provided by law);
4. the right to file a complaint with the FERPA compliance office at the U.S. Department of Education.

When do my FERPA rights begin? 
FERPA rights begin when a student begins classes at WKU.

What are education records? 
Education records are any records maintained by the university that are directly related to a student, with the following exceptions:

1. personal records kept by WKU employees that are in the sole possession of the maker and are not accessible by or revealed to any other person;
2. employment records, unless those records are contingent on the fact that the employee is a student;
3. records maintained by campus police solely for law-enforcement purposes;
4. records maintained by counseling services or WKU Health Services;
5. alumni records.

Types, locations, and custodians of education records:

What is directory information? 
FERPA defines directory information as information included in the education records of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. In accordance with FERPA, WKU designates the following student information as public or directory information. Such information may be disclosed by the institution at its discretion. SeeFERPA GUIDELINES 

Can a student restrict the release of directory information?
Students may withhold disclosure of directory information. To withhold disclosure, the student must provide written notification within the first five days of a term to the WKU Office of the Registrar; 1906 College Heights Blvd., #11017, Bowling Green, KY 42101-1017. Directory information will then be withheld indefinitely until the Office of the Registrar receives, in writing, a revocation of the request for non-disclosure. WKU will honor a request to withhold information, but the university cannot assume responsibility to contact the student for subsequent permission to release it.  Regardless of the effects upon the requesting student, the institution assumes no liability as a consequence of honoring instructions that directory information be withheld. WKU assumes that failure on the part of any student to request specifically the withholding of categories of directory information indicates approval of that information for disclosure.  FERPA FORM STUDENTS

 Who can have access to students' education records?

FERPA permits disclosure without consent to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is defined as 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 or company with whom the university has contracted for a service or operations function (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Regents; 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 may disclose personally identifiable information from a student's education record to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

Furthermore, the university is required by law (the Solomon Amendment) to provide the name and address of all students to any legitimate military recruiter who makes such a request in writing to the Office of the Registrar. This applies even if a student has submitted a request to withhold directory information.

FERPA details other exceptions that allow disclosure without a student's consent.

Can parents access their students' education records?

For a parent to have access to his or her child's' non-directory information, he/she must have a signed waiver from the student, or the student must have completed an Authorization to Disclose Confidential Information form signifying the parent as someone who has been given permission to access non-directory information. 

 
What is FERPA procedure in health or safety emergencies?
If non-directory information is required during an emergency, WKU may release that information if it deems the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.

 
Whom should I contact for more information?
Please direct any questions not answered here to the Office of the Registrar at 270-745-3351.