GENERAL INFORMATION

Educational records are kept by College offices to facilitate the educational development of students. Faculty and staff members may also keep informal records relating to their functional responsibilities with individual students.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

Both College policy and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, ensure the confidentiality of a student’s educational records and restrict access by third parties except as authorized by law.

Access to Student Records

Information from a student's educational record should be sent to third parties outside the College only by the appropriate educational record custodian and only on the basis of a written and dated request by the student (see the chart at the end of this publication for information on educational records custodians).

Information from a student’s educational record should be shared within the College only among appropriate "school officials" (College teachers, advisers, counselors, placement personnel, deans, department chairpersons, directors and other administrative officials responsible for some part of the academic enterprise or one of the supporting activities; administrative and faculty sponsors of officially recognized organizations; members of official college and College committees; and clerical personnel employed to assist the College officials) having "legitimate educational interests" in the records (interests essential to the general process of higher education including teaching, research, public service, and directly supportive activities such as academic advising, general counseling, therapeutic counseling, discipline, vocational counseling and job placement, financial assistance and advisement, medical services, academic assistance activities, and co-curricular activities, including varsity and intramural sports, social fraternities, special interest clubs, and student government.) Access to a student’s educational record by "school officials" is restricted to that portion of the record necessary for the discharge of assigned duties.

Most Commonly Kept Student Records