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Parents of new college students, as well as parents of returning students, need to be aware of FERPA and what it means for you and your student. By now you have probably heard about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the federal privacy law that gives parents and students certain protections with regard to educational records such as grades, disciplinary records, and contact information. The Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education provides several key points that parents should be aware of concerning FERPA. While this is not a comprehensive description of the law, it should help you understand it better.

- When a student turns 18 years of age or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, the rights afforded to parents under FERPA transfer to the student. These rights are designed to protect the student’s privacy by restricting the release of information that is not considered "directory information." This includes educational, disciplinary, and health records.

Parents may gain access to student records several ways:
• providing proof that the student is a dependant for income tax purposes
• in case of an emergency
• the easiest way to access protected student records is by having a conversation with your student. If you are concerned about grades, talk to the student. While University officials are here to help you during this time as well, you will find that you will be far more successful and your relationship will benefit greatly by asking your student for this information rather than the University.