FERPA

In addition to general information, these areas are available to provide information and answer questions concerning FERPA:

Students
Faculty/Staff
Advisors
Parents
FERPA Statement

General Information

What is FERPA?

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (also known as the Buckley Amendment) is a federal law that pertains to the release of and access to educational records.

• Designed to protect the confidentiality of the records that educational institutions maintain on their students and to give students access to their records to assure the accuracy of their contents.

Student Rights under FERPA

Four basic rights are afforded to students under FERPA.  By law, the University must notify students annually of:

1. The right to review and inspect their education records.

2. The right to seek to amend education records.

3. The right to have some control over the disclosure of information from education records.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe we failed to comply with FERPA regarding their records.

To whom does FERPA apply?

A student is defined as any person who attends or has attended the University of Richmond. Attendance begins on the first day of class.  Attendance is defined beyond the classroom to include distance learning.

What is an education record?

An education record is any record (in handwriting, print, electronic form, tapes, film, or other medium) maintained by the University of Richmond or an agent of the university which is directly related to a student.  Exceptions include:

WHAT is a legitimate educational interest? 

"School officials” determined by the University to have a “legitimate education interest” have a right to access information from a student’s educational record without the student’s express permission.  A school official is determined to have legitimate educational interest if the information requested is necessary for that official to (a) perform appropriate tasks that are specified in his or her position description or by a contract agreement; (b) perform a task related to a student’s education; (c) perform a task related to the discipline of a student; (d) provide a service or benefit relating to the student or student’s family, such as health care, counseling, job placement, pastoral counseling, or financial aid. 

• DO NOT request or look up information on a student without a legitimate educational interest and the appropriate authority to do so.
• DO NOT share student educational record information, including grades or grade point averages, with other faculty or staff members of the University unless their official responsibilities identify their "legitimate educational interest" in that information for that specific student.

Where can I view the University’s FERPA policy?

The University’s complete policy statement can be found on the University Registrar’s Web page at: oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/registrar/policy/ferpapolicy.html as well as each of the published academic catalogs. For additional information visit the site, call, or e-mail the Registrar’s office at (804) 289-8639 or registrar@richmond.edu.

What is the difference between “directory information” and “personally identifiable information?”

DIRECTORY INFORMATION—May be disclosed

Directory information may be disclosed without a student’s prior consent unless the student requests otherwise.  Students who have requested non-disclosure will have a confidentiality flag in Banner and their name and general information will not appear in the online or printed directory.  The University is not required to release information on any student. 

If you are uncomfortable with a request, do not release the information and refer the request to the Office of the University Registrar (804) 289-8639. 

The University of Richmond has designated the following categories of student information as public or Directory Information:              

• Name
• Addresses: permanent, campus, local (off-campus), e-mail and campus computer network (IP) address, net id
• Associated telephone numbers
• Date and place of birth
• School or college
• Major and/or minor fields of study
• Degree sought
• Expected date of completion of degree requirements and graduation
• Degrees conferred
• Awards and Honors (e.g. Dean’s list)
• Full or part time enrollment status
• Dates of attendance Previous institutions attended
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Weight and height of members of athletic team members
• Photograph

PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION—May not be disclosed

• Social Security number
• Richmond Student ID number
• Residency status
• Gender
• Religious preference
• Race/Ethnicity
• Grades/GPA
• Student’s class schedule
• Test scores
• Academic standing
• Academic transcripts