Confidentiality of Student Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), in its present form:

  1. Establishes a post-secondary student’s general right to inspect and review his or her educational records, and
  2. Generally prohibits outside parties from obtaining the information contained in such records without the student’s written consent.

Exceptions:

  1. A student may not examine confidential letters and statements of recommendation that were placed in his or her file prior to January 1, 1975.
  2. A student may waive access to certain confidential recommendations placed in his or her file after January 1, 1975.

In implementing the provisions of FERPA, Westmont observes the following practices:

  1. Transcripts of permanent records will not be sent to other institutions or to employers without written permission of student.
  2. Access to student records is limited to certain administrative and secretarial staff. List is available in Student Records Office.
  3. The student’s official advisor has access to student records without written permission.
  4. Requests to inspect confidential information or to release confidential information are available at the Student Records Office.
  5. In response to a request for information concerning a student, the Records staff will:
    1. confirm that the student is or is not enrolled.
    2. confirm graduation date or term last attended.
    3. confirm birth date (if given correctly).
    4. confirm academic major or program.
    5. confirm address (if given correctly).
  6. Names of parents, home addresses, or home telephone numbers ARE NOT RELEASED.
  7. Information contained in the student directory is for on-campus use only. This information is not to be sold or circulated.
  8. A student may request that only his/her name and campus address appear in any roster of students.

Student records may be released without written consent to the following:

  1. Institutional personnel determined to have legitimate interest.
  2. Persons or organizations providing to the student financial aid, or determining financial aid decisions concerning eligibility, amount, condition, and enforcement of terms of said aid.
  3. Accrediting organizations carrying out their functions.
  4. Persons in compliance with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
  5. Persons in an emergency, if the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.
  6. Persons approved by the college performing legitimate research activities under conditions in which the anonymity of students’ records can be maintained.

For more information on FERPA see:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html