Privacy and Confidentiality of Student Records

Generally, University representatives are prohibited by federal law (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or “FERPA”) from disclosing confidential information from student records except under specified circumstances, and are required to permit students to inspect their own educational records. Faculty members are advised not to disclose information from student records, including grades and other evaluations, to third parties, including parents, without the written permission of the student. Faculty members and staff should consult with the Registrar or the Office of the University Attorney with questions about disclosure of students’ education records. The official University policy, Policy Statement #69, “Student Records,” can be found at www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-69.html. In addition, a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) tutorial that explains the importance of protecting student records is available for faculty and staff at www.uncc.edu/ais/ferpa. All faculty and staff are encouraged to review the tutorial.