FERPA (Student Privacy)

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Students have certain rights concerning their “education records” under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as amended, 20 U.S.C. §1232g, et seq. These include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day CSU receives the request for access.
   
   All enrolled and former students may access their education records maintained by CSU. Written requests identifying the record(s) to be inspected should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar, or, in the case of current graduate students, to the Graduate School. The CSU official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the CSU official to whom the request was submitted, that official will advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. In limited circumstances, a student may receive one copy of each item of information contained in the education record at a cost of $.25 per page (charge subject to change). Information on student records requests is available on the Office of the Registrar website.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading and to place within the education record a statement about the contents of the record.

   Students may ask CSU to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading as recorded or reported in that record. They should write the CSU official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

   If CSU decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, CSU will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information (defined below) contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

   Individuals and agencies that may have access to a student’s records without the student's consent include “school officials,” defined below, with legitimate educational interests; parents claiming a student as a dependent on their federal income tax; scholarship and other financial aid organizations supporting the student; organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, student aid programs, or to improve instruction; organizations carrying out accrediting functions of programs offered by CSU; appropriate person(s) in an emergency; and any party designated by judicial order or subpoena, provided that, except for subpoenas and orders issued for law enforcement purposes, CSU first notifies the student of the order or subpoena. Any other individual or organization must have a student’s written consent to view or have access to the education record.
   
   For purposes of disclosure of information about the student to school officials with legitimate educational interests, a "school official" is a person employed by CSU in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel in an educational role and health staff); a person or company with whom CSU has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the governing board of CSU; or a student serving on an official committee, or in a volunteer capacity, such as a peer mentor or member of a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing assigned tasks. Such officials have legitimate educational interests when they need to review a student’s education records to fulfill their responsibilities to CSU. As an example of a company with whom CSU has contracted, CSU works with the National Student Clearinghouse which provides an Enrollment Verification Certificate and/or degree verification to students and vendors indicating whether the students are enrolled for part-time or full-time status at CSU, or have received a degree.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by CSU 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 20202-4605.

Furthermore, CSU may disclose students’ education records without consent, upon request, to officials of other schools in which a student seeks to or intends to enroll.

Students can authorize the release of their education records through FAMweb, a secure online portal that provides limited access to a student’s education records to families and trusted individuals designated by the student. In RAMweb, the secure online student portal, the student sets permissions to allow others to use FAMweb to access certain categories of education records that are frequently requested for release. The following types of student information can be viewed in FAMweb:

• Financial Aid
• Billing information
• Grades for the last completed term
• Unofficial transcript
• Class schedule for the semester in session
• Tax information

Directory Information

An exception to the requirement for prior authorization for release of records exists for public release of “directory information” which is published in university directories and may be released to third parties.

CSU defines “directory information” as the following:

• Student name
• Institutional E-Mail address
• Telephone number
• Major field of study
• Classification level (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, graduate)
• Dates of attendance
• Current or previous enrollment status (full-time, three-quarter time, half-time, and/or less than half-time)
• Anticipated date/term of graduation and expected degree(s)
• Honors and degrees awarded
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Height and weight of athletic team members
• Video and photographic images of students, with the exception of the official CSU identification photograph

FERPA allows a student to limit the release of directory information. Students may choose what directory information is displayed in the printed and online CSU directories through RAMweb. Once they log in, students will click on the “Manage My Student Record” link under the Records heading, then the “Change my Directory Preferences” link.

Students may also request complete confidentiality of their directory information by completing the Confidentiality of Directory Information Form. This form can also be used to remove the full confidentiality of their directory information. For more information about implications of having this confidentiality added to a student’s record, please review the Confidentiality of Directory Information Form or contact the Office of the Registrar.

Personally Identifiable (Private) Information

CSU defines Personally Identifiable (Private) Information as information, excluding Directory information, that if disclosed alone or in combination with other available information, would make it possible to identify an individual to whom the information pertains. This includes items such as a social security number; a personal identification number; a password; a pass code; an official state or government-issued driver's license or identification card number; a government passport number; biometric data, such as defined in C.R.S. § 24-73-103(1)(a); an employer or military identification number; a financial transaction device as defined in C.R.S. § 18-5-701(3); grades; financial/account information; CSU ID photo; class and work schedules; residency status; class rank; mailing address; age; birth date and place of birth. None of these items may be released without the student’s permission, except as otherwise allowed by FERPA.

Students can give permission for private information to be released in two ways using the Student Permission to Release Academic Records Form:

1. Students can grant permission to release any available academic records related to academic advising (e.g., grades, academic standing, etc.) that the University maintains to a named recipient for one academic year:
   • If a student chooses this option, they need to submit the completed form to their academic advisor.
2. Students can grant permission for the release of one specific document (e.g., transcript) to a named recipient.
   • If a student chooses this option, they need to submit the completed form to the Office of the Registrar.

Students can also provide access to FAMweb so support givers can log in to see information the student has chosen to provide. If the information needed is not available through FAMweb, support givers should ask their student to provide the Student Permission to Release Academic Records Form. If the student is unwilling or unable to provide this document, parents can contact the Dean of Student’s Office to request a Parent Affidavit to request access to student information; this is only an option if they claim the student as a legal dependent on their most recent Federal Income Tax filing.

Deceased Student Information Disclosure

Due to the sensitivity and privacy issues involved in student deaths, a Confidential Information alert will be placed on the deceased student’s accounts and records to block public access to all personal and academic information once verification of the death is confirmed.

Further information about CSU's FERPA policy and related guidance and resources are available from the Office of the Registrar.