Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records; to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records; and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate and misleading data through informal and formal hearings. What this means is that, in general, no one may release information from the student record to a third party, including parents, without written permission from the student.

FERPA was established by the federal government in 1974 and applies to all institutions receiving federal funding. It applies to both K-12 and post-secondary institutions, but students have different rights in K-12 than when in college.

Types, Locations and Custodians of Educational Records

TYPES LOCATION CUSTODIAN
Admission Records (attendance at either campus) Registrar’s Office

229B Derham 
Registrar
Cumulative Academic Records (current and former students) Registrar’s Office

229B Derham
Registrar
Financial Records Office of Student Accounts

229A Derham
Manager of Student Accounts
Disciplinary Records Office of Student Affairs

306 Derham
Associate Director of Student Life Dean of Student Affairs
Scholarships, Loans and

Other Forms of Financial Aid
Financial Aid

208 Derham
Director of Financial Aid
Immunization Records: MN State Law,

Clinical and Non-clinical Programs
Student Compliance Office

Whitby 200
Institutional Compliance Administrator
Health Records

(Health records that are not specifically excluded from the definition of education records or that the student has a right to inspect under applicable state law)
Health and Wellness Clinic Nurse Practitioner