Information about college students is kept confidential
By Steve Holt steve@theacorn.com

Three years after Congress ratified the 26th Amendment to the Constitution giving 18yearolds the right to vote, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was passed in 1974.

FERPA prevents anyone but a college student from accessing his or her educational records.

Not even parents can get confidential information at a college or university unless the student approves it.

Parents learned about FERPA last Saturday afternoon during an orientation for the parents of new students at Cal Lutheran University. The session was presented by Damian Peña, senior director of academic programs. A panel also answered questions.

Under FERPA, college students were given specific rights. Unless they provide written permission for someone else, students and students alone have the right to see to their grades.

Demographic data about the student and admissions records are also private.

Academic and university residence offices must also keep secrets. They cannot, for example, reveal information about room assignments, phone numbers, reports about roommate conflicts or other personal information. Even if a student gets into disciplinary problems, those records are confidential. Campus incident reports, outcomes of judicial hearings or sanctions as a result of violating rules at a college or university are also considered to be private information.

Parents would not be notified, for example, if a student withdrew from the university. Financial aid information and health records are also privacy protected.

There are a few exceptions.

If, for example, a student was expelled from the university or if his or her dorm arrangements were cancelled, parents would be contacted.

Parents learned that, for the most part, college records are strictly confidential.