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The Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) requires that institutions of higher education protect the educational records of all students who are or have been in attendance. Each fall, current Clark students receive instructions on completing the FERPA Disclosure Form online. By doing so, the student authorizes a designated third party to receive otherwise protected information.
Click on one of the adjacent buttons for more information pertaining to FERPA.
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Clark University’s FERPA Policy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), better known as the Buckley
Amendment, requires that institutions of higher education strictly protect the privacy rights
of all students who are or have been in attendance. In practice, this means that information
contained in the student’s educational record can be shared only with school officials who have
a legitimate educational interest and a legitimate need to know such information to fulfill
their professional responsibilities. For these purposes, "legitimate educational interest" shall
mean an educationally related purpose that has a directly identifiable educational relationship
to the student involved.
- School Officials
For purposes of FERPA, school officials are those members of an institution who act in the
student’s educational interest within the limitations of their "need to know." The following
people are defined as having a legitimate need for access to any educational record for students
under their jurisdiction: the President and the Provost, the Dean of the College, the Dean of
Graduate Studies, the Dean of Students, the Associate Dean of the College for Academic Advising,
the Director of Academic Advancement, the Dean of the Graduate School of Management, and the
Dean of COPACE. Where appropriate, these school officials may, at their discretion, choose to
share such information with university faculty or staff on a need-to-know basis.
- Directory Information
Directory information is general information contained in the educational record of a student
that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Public
directory information as defined by FERPA includes: student’s name, addresses (campus, home,
e-mail), telephone listings, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance,
class year, enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate; full-time or part-time),
participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of
athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, and most recent educational institution attended.
School officials may, at their discretion, release directory information to third parties unless
the student specifically directs that it be withheld.
- Registrar's Office
The Registrar's Office is the keeper of all educational records and treats the student’s
educational record with the utmost confidentiality. The University Registrar is responsible for
all the educational records and will share non-directory information about individual students
with other school officials only on a need-to-know basis.
- Faculty
All official records created by Clark faculty in fulfilling their professional obligations
(e.g., grades and comments on graded papers) are protected by FERPA. Informal records maintained
by Clark faculty (e.g., notes about meetings with students) that are kept under the sole
possession of the faculty member, that have not been created with the assistance of anyone
else, and that are accessible only to a temporary substitute do not fall under FERPA’s
umbrella. Nevertheless, such informal records should be shared with third parties only on a
need-to-know basis.
Faculty who serve as academic advisors will have access to their advisees’ academic records.
They will also be notified of any change in an advisee’s academic status. Where appropriate,
they will be informed of those actions of the College Board that relate to their advisees. All
faculty will have access to a student's class schedule for the purpose of overriding a registration
restriction.
- Academic Advising Center
The Associate Dean of the College for Academic Advising may share a student’s educational
record with members of the staff of the Academic Advising Center when it is deemed appropriate
for them to have such information in the execution of their duties.
- Student Affairs Staff
The Dean of Students may share a student’s educational record with members of the Student
Affairs staff when it is deemed appropriate for them to have such information in the execution
of their duties.
- Admissions
FERPA does not apply to the records of applicants for admission who are denied acceptance to
Clark, nor does it apply to applicants who are accepted but choose not to attend Clark. Admitted
students are covered by FERPA once they have enrolled. A student is considered enrolled on the
first day of classes.
- Athletics
The Associate Dean of the College for Academic Advising will share information about the academic
status of student athletes with the Director of Athletics for the purposes of ensuring NCAA
compliance.
The Dean of Students may share judicial information with the Director of Athletics in support of
the Athletic Code of Conduct. S/he may also share information of a serious nature about a
student when it is relevant to that student’s status as an athlete.
- Other Persons
Faculty serving on university committees where legitimate “need to know” exists may have access
to educational records. Faculty members of registered honor societies may have access to student
educational records for the sole purpose of determining eligibility for membership on the basis
that they are acting in an official university capacity that is integral to the educational
function of the university. In both cases, the legitimate educational interests of students and
the university have been served.
- Official Agents
Clark University may share certain personally identifiable information with official agents. An
official agent of the university is a person or organization performing a business function or
service on behalf of the institution (a function or service that the institution normally would
perform itself). All official agents of Clark University have signed an agency agreement which
stipulates that they will adhere to FERPA guidelines.
- University Agents
Parents may obtain non-directory information (e.g. grades, academic standing,
etc.) at the discretion of the institution and after it is determined that the
student is legally dependent on either parent.
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Additional Resources
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