Faculty and Staff Information
At Purdue University, protecting student academic records is a shared responsibility. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guides how we access, use and share education records. Review the information below for clear, practical direction to ensure compliance and safeguard student privacy.
Complete your annual Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Certification.
Understanding FERPA
Understanding FERPA begins with a clear grasp of the terms that guide our daily work. FERPA defines what qualifies as an education record, what may be considered directory information and how access is determined. The definitions below outline what can — and cannot — be shared, helping you apply policy with accuracy and confidence. Students’ rights are to be broadly defined and applied. Think of the student as the owner of their education record and the university as the manager of that record.
Education Records
Educational records include any information, regardless of format or medium, stored by a university in relation to a student. This does not include records kept solely for personal use (such as private advising notes), law enforcement records, employment (unless the job is tied to the student’s status, like work study or graduate teaching associates) or medical records. It also does not extend to records created after the student is enrolled, such as alumni records.
Directory Information
Directory information is any record information that can be made public by the Office of the Registrar, as long as the student has not requested it be restricted. Each student has the right to request to restrict the release of directory information, except to university officials with a legitimate educational interest, and that request must be respected. Restricted information will be listed as “No Release” on their record.
Directory information is determined individually by the institution. At Purdue, this includes a student’s:
- Name
- E-mail address
- Local and home address
- Local and home phone number
- Major and field of study
- Enrollment status and credit hour load (for example: undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time)
- Dates of attendance
- Degrees, honors and awards received
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Position, weight, height and photograph of student athletes
Directory information cannot include: race, gender, social security number, grades, GPA, country of citizenship or religion.
Parent or Legal Guardian
Under FERPA, parent or legal guardian refers to the person(s) the student is financially dependent upon, based on the IRS definition. Purdue may share education records with a parent or legal guardian who can demonstrate to the Office of the Registrar that the student is claimed as a dependent for tax purposes.
Basic Rights of Students
Under FERPA, a student’s rights begin when they turn 18 years old or enroll at a post-secondary institution, such as a college or university, at any age. Basic rights include the following.
Students have the right to:
Inform of FERPA Rights
Students must be notified of their FERPA rights at least once a year. The means by which the notice occurs isn’t specified. At Purdue, the annual notice is posted on our website and shared with students as part of an annual consumer information email.
Right to Review Their Education Record
Students have the right to access everything in their education record except:
- Information about other students
- Financial records of their parents or legal guardians
- Confidential letters of recommendation if they have waived their right of access. Requiring a waiver of access is not allowed.
Because FERPA does not state what records must be made or how long records must be kept, the decision falls to the university. Records cannot be destroyed once they are requested.
Right to Request a Change to Their Education Record
Students have the right to request a correction to their education records if they believe information is inaccurate, misleading or violates their rights. A written request must be submitted to the appropriate records manager, identifying what they want changed and why.
The university has the responsibility to review the request and respond within a reasonable timeframe. If the request is denied, the student will receive written notice, including information about their right to a hearing and their right to add a written statement to their record.
Right to Provide Written Consent Before Personal Identifiable Information is Shared
Students have the right to control who is granted access to their education records, except as allowed under FERPA. Before a record is shared, the student must provide signed and dated written consent stating which records may be released, the purpose and who is granted access.
Right to File a Complaint
Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with FERPA requirements. Complaints should be submitted directly to the Student Privacy Policy Office.
Proxy Access
The myPurdue Proxy tool allows students at Purdue University to grant a parent, guardian or other trusted individual access to specific information in the myPurdue portal. Students control who has access and what information may be viewed.
For faculty and staff, this means access must be verified before discussing a student’s information with a proxy. Using the appropriate Banner screen, you can confirm whether a proxy is active, review the authorized access areas and verify the student-established passphrase. Information may only be shared if the proxy’s access is current and the correct passphrase is provided. Proxy permissions cannot be modified by faculty or staff — only the student can update or revoke access.
Contact Us
For additional information and guidance, please contact our FERPA team.