What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (also known as the Buckley Amendment), affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.  Specifically, students have the right to:

1. Inspect and review their education records

2. Request the amendment of inaccurate or misleading records

3. Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in their education record

4. File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures of the institution to comply with this law

How Does FERPA Apply to Teaching Personnel?

The law requires that teaching personnel treat students' education records in a legally specified manner.

Grades

Students' scores or grades should not be displayed publicly.  Even with names obscured, social security numbers are considered personally identifiable information and must not be used.  If scores or grades are posted, use some code known only to the faculty member and the individual student.  Partial social security numbers may not be used.  In no case should the list be posted in alphabetical sequence by student name.  Grades, transcripts, or OnCourse degree audits distributed for purposes of advisement should not be placed in plain view in open mailboxes in public areas.

Papers

Graded papers or tests should not be left unattended on a desk in plain view in a public area nor should students sort through them in order to retrieve their own work.

Class Rosters/Grade Sheets

These and other reports should be handled in a confidential manner and the information contained on them should not be disclosed to third parties.  Copies of class rosters containing students' social security numbers should not be routed in the classroom for attendance taking or any other purpose.

Parents

Parents, spouses, and other relations do not have a right to information contained in a student's education record.

Employers

Employers do not have a right to educational information pertaining to a student.

Banner and WyoWeb

Access to Banner or WyoWeb is not tantamount to authorization to view the data.  Faculty are deemed to be "school officials" and can access data in either system if they have a legitimate educational interest.  UW staff members may obtain access if they have a legitimate educational need to know.  A legitimate education interest exists if the staff member needs to view the education record to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.  Neither curiosity nor personal interest is a legitimate educational "need to know."

Letters of Recommendation

Do not include information about students' grades or grade point averages in letters of recommendation without the written permission of the student.

Students' Schedules

Do not provide anyone with a students' schedule; do not assist anyone other than a university employee in finding a student on campus.  Refer such inquiries to the Office of Student Life.

Lists of Students

Do not provide anyone with lists of students enrolled in your classes for any commercial purpose.  Requests of this nature should be referred to the Office of the Registrar.

When in doubt, contact the Office of the Registrar for guidance:
307-766-5724.

The University of Wyoming strives to fully comply with this law by protecting the privacy of student records and judiciously evaluating requests for release of information from these records.  FERPA authorizes the release of "Directory Information" without the student's prior written consent under certain conditions set forth in the act.