Student/Parent FERPA Resources
Do's and Don'ts
- DO educate yourself regarding FERPA, your rights and K-State's responsibilities.
- DO check your Directory Information each semester to be sure your information is correct and your privacy settings are set.
- DO always communicate with your professors and other K-State personnel using your student email account. Using that account tells the person with whom you're communicating that you are indeed the student associated with that email address.
- DON'T leave your computer open where anyone can find your K-State eID log-in information.
- DON'T violate FERPA if you are a student who is also an employee at K-State- see Faculty/Staff Resources.
- DO contact the Office of the Registrar or the Office of General Counsel with any FERPA related questions.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What does FERPA mean for me?
At K-State University, the privacy of academic records is also protected by KBOR policy {Chapter II, Section B, 3}. The U.S. Department of Education summarizes the rights afforded to students by FERPA as follows:
- The right to inspect and review educational records within a reasonable period of time and no more than 45 days after the institution has received the request
- The right to request to amend inaccuracies in their educational records
- The right to limit disclosure of some personally identifiable information
- The right to file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office if they feel their FERPA rights have been violated.
- FERPA requires universities to provide students with annual notification of these rights. K-State's annual notification appears in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs. Students who suspect that a FERPA violation has occurred, should contact the Office of the Registrar or the Family Policy Compliance Office within the U.S. Department of Education.
When do my FERPA Rights Begin?
At K-State University, a student is defined as someone currently or previously enrolled in an academic offering of the university. This does not included prospective students or applicants that have never attended any academic program of the university. For those students who are newly admitted to K-State, FERPA becomes effective on the first day of classes for students who have enrolled in at least one credit-bearing course.
What is an Education 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 academic record 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
Academic 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
If a student under 18 is enrolled in both high school and K-State, do parents have the right to inspect and review their students education records?
If a student is attending a postsecondary institution - at any age - the rights under FERPA have transferred to the student. However, in a situation where a student is enrolled in both a high school and a postsecondary institution, the two schools may exchange information on that student.
If the student is under 18, the parents still retain the rights under FERPA at the high school and may inspect and review any records sent by the postsecondary institution to the high school. Additionally, the postsecondary institution may disclose personally identifiable information from the student’s education records to the parents, without the consent of the eligible student, if the student is a dependent for tax purposes under the IRS rules.
What is the difference between Directory Information and placing a Full Confidentiality Hold on my educational record?
Withholding your Directory Information prevents K-State from disclosing to the general public any information from student educational records which is designated as "directory information."
The Full Confidentiality Hold is used only in rare circumstances. Your entire educational record will be suppressed (this includes the Directory Information listed above). But, in addition, all conversations about your educational record must be conducted in person or via your K-State email account. We cannot discuss your record with you (or anyone you designate) over the phone, fax, regular mail, or any email address other than your official K-State email account.
Can my student provide permission for me to discuss their educational records with all K-State Offices?
High level permission under FERPA to grant "blanket" authority for discussion on "any" educational related item is NOT currently available at K-State. Regardless of the students age or who may be paying for the "bill" once a student is enrolled at a post-secondary institution FERPA transfers to the student of record.
Our Best Recommendation is to be in contact and conversation with your Student. If there is a concern, have them include you in the conversation or e-mail, however, remember under Federal Law, the student cannot be excluded from the conversation, nor can anyone do a "transaction" on behalf of the student without their knowledge and direct consent/permission.
What is "Designee" Access?
Some offices such as the Cashiers for billing purposes or Student Financial Assistance have the ability for a student to declare a parent or third party as a "Designee" for discussion but larger conversations related outside of billing or financial aid will require the student involvement in the conversation.
Navigate to the Students Tab on the Registrar Website and scroll down in the List to KSIS Designee Access/Information for more details. Or refer to the "About Designee Acces in KSIS" Help Page for assistance.
Students may grant written permission (typically via their K-State e-mail) for a "one-time" discussion to occur with a parent or third party, but this is not a highly encouraged business practice. If the student grants permission to discuss a particular item with the parent/third-party it is a one-time consent for just that particular conversation. Additional conversations or discussions would require additional consent.
The best rule of thumb is to have the student inquire with the office in question and loop in or include the parents/third-party in the question/conversation. The student can grant permission but know that the student should stay involved in the discussion. Do not be surprised if the student is added back to an email inquiry or if you are asked to include the student on a phone call or Zoom meeting.
As a parent, are there options to get regular updates on my students grades, status, academic progression at K-State?
NO. K-State is not required to keep parents informed of the student’s progress. FERPA privacy laws state that the student is enrolled in a post-secondary course; therefore, the educational record belongs to the student. Your students are not responsible for their college and academic engagement, and they have the ability to log into various systems (depending on how the instructor has set up their section) to monitor their academic progression.
K-State encourages communication between students and parents, and it is an option for the student to include the parent or a person of their choice in the conversation/engagement on any topic.
I believe my rights may have been violated in relation to FERPA. What do I do?
If you believe your FERPA rights may have been violated, please contact the Office of the Registrar or the Office of General Counselfor assistance.
