Family Education Rights & Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

How UF Ensures Confidentiality

The university ensures the confidentiality of student records in accordance with the provisions of various federal, state, and university regulations, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, also known as the Buckley Amendment. The statutes and regulations also provide certain rights to students concerning their education records.

All student records including but not limited to academic records, counseling records, and disciplinary records are confidential and cannot be released without the student's consent except directory information that may be released without the consent of the student.

The Office of the University Registrar routinely releases directory information to the public. Directory information may also be released by other university departments and/or employees.

Students who do not want their addresses or phone numbers published on the Web should update their directory profile. Please note that this is not the same as restricting release of directory information (Privacy Hold).

A student who wishes to restrict release of their directory information must submit the Restriction of Directory Information form using the secure upload.

Student educational records may be released without consent to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in accessing the records.

The university also may disclose information from a student's record without the student's consent to individuals or entities permitted such access under applicable federal and state law.

A student has the right to review their own educational records for information and to determine accuracy. A photo I.D., other equivalent documentation or personal recognition by the custodian of record will be required before access is granted. Parents of dependent students, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, have these same rights upon presentation of proof of their dependent status.

Students that believe their educational record contains information that is inaccurate, misleading or in violation of their rights may ask the institution to amend the record. The UF Student Guide outlines the procedures for challenging the content of a student record, as well as the policies governing access to and maintenance of student records.

FERPA requires institutions to provide students with annual notification of their rights under the statute. UF provides this annual notification in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs. Students who suspect that a FERPA violation has occurred should contact the Vice President for Student Affairs (155 Tigert Hall; 352-392-1265), or the University Privacy Office (3007 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL 32608; 352-294-8720) or they can contact the Family Policy Compliance Office within the U.S. Department of Education.

What is an Educational Record?

An education record is any record directly related to a student that is maintained by an educational agency or institution, or by a party acting for the agency or institution. Examples of an education records include, but are not limited to:

• Biographical information including date and place of birth, gender, nationality, information about race and ethnicity, and identification photographs
• Grades, test scores, evaluations, courses taken, academic specialization and activities, and official communications regarding your status
• Coursework including papers and exams, class schedules, as well as written email or recorded communications that are part of the academic process
• Disciplinary records
• Financial aid and financial aid records
• Internship program records

Education records do not include:

• Sole possession records that are used only as memory aids and not shared with others
• Law enforcement unit records
• Employment records, unless the employment is dependent on the employee's status as a student (such as evaluations of graduate assistants)
• Medical records
• Records that only contain information about an individual after he or she is no longer a student at that agency or institution