Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment (Statute: 20 U.S.G. 1232g; Regulations: 34 CFR Part 99), protects the privacy of a student's academic record. It applies to all institutions that receive federal funding and applies at the point an applicant becomes a student. Students can inspect and seek to amend their education records. They can designate who has access to their education records, and they can file a complaint with the FERPA Office in Washington, DC.

Whether you are faculty, staff or student, maintaining confidentiality of student records is your responsibility.

Instructions for completing FERPA Compliance Training can be found on Confluence. 

Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): Annual Notification to Students

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are:

  • The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access. A request for access to education records maintained by the University must be made in writing to the Registrar in Student Achievement Services and identify the records they wish to inspect.
  • The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Such requests must provide this form to the Registrar in Student Achievement Services and identify the records they wish to have amended and provide documentation in support of the amendment. Additional information about this process may be found in the University Regulations, Section IX-I.6
  • The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosures without consent. Information may be released in the following instances: (a) to the student, (b) to the parents of a dependent student, (c) to a university official*, (d) to a party seeking directory information, (e) to a party receiving the information pursuant to a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena, (f) of certain information regarding student disciplinary proceedings as expressly permitted by FERPA, or (g) to parties otherwise authorized to receive the information pursuant to FERPA. For certain information to be released to a third party, a Student Information Release Authorization form must be on file in Student Achievement Services.
  • The right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Clarkson University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

    Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Ave. SW
    Washington, DC 20202-5920


*A "university official" is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another university official in performing his or her tasks. A university official has a "legitimate educational interest" if he, she or it needs to review an education record in order to (a) perform a task specific to his or her job description or his, her or its contractual duties to the University, (b) perform a task related to the student's education (including without limitation discipline of the student), or (c) provide a service or benefit relating to the student or the student's family.

See Clarkson Regulations section IX-J for complete policies related to Access to and Privacy of Student Records.

Directory Information

Unless the student has officially filed a written request with Student Achievement Services prior to relevant publication deadlines (as applicable) that disclosure not be made without his or her written permission, directory information may be included in appropriate University directories, publications and news releases and may be disclosed by staff members in response to inquiries concerning individual students whether such inquiries are made in person, in writing, over the telephone, or by electronic means.

To withhold directory information prior to relevant publication deadlines (as applicable), please complete the Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form and file it with Student Achievement Services. 

The items below are considered directory information:

  • Name
  • Confirmation of current enrollment (includes enrollment status)
  • Major(s)
  • Dates of enrollment
  • Degree(s) received
  • Honor(s) received
  • Local address and telephone number
  • Home address and telephone number
  • E-mail address
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • For members of athletic teams only: weight, height, hometown, high school, date of birth
  • Student ID photo
  • Academic Level

See Clarkson Regulations section IX-J for complete policies related to Access to and Privacy of Student Records.