Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

FERPA | Directory Information | Educational Records| Access & Security of Records | Invoking FERPA | FERPA FAQ’s

Access and Security of Records

Access

FERPA identifies who can access student educational records and under what circumstances.

Under FERPA, all Students who are or have been in attendance at the University of Chicago have the right to inspect and review their educational records.  Students and alumni should file a written request to see their educational records with the Office of Campus and Student Life (Levi Hall, Suite 203, 773.702.7770).  Students may also consult the student manual for additional details concerning their right to access their records.

Parents may only access the enrollment status of their child if they can prove that the student is a legal dependent or if the student gives signed consent for the record to be released to the parent.  Parents can consult the UChicago Parents & Families website for more information.

University of Chicago officials with legitimate educational interest may access student educational records to perform their work duties.

All other third parties must receive signed consent from the student in order to be given access to some or all of the student’s educational record.

Security

Unsecure forms of communication are not appropriate for sharing student educational records.  It is important for staff to be aware of this and strip out confidential and identifying information such as a social security number.

IT Services provides a number of secure, audited systems for saving and transmitting student information.  For more information on safe computing, please visit https://dsc.uchicago.edu/university-of-chicago-sensitive-data-usage-guide/.

If you think there has been a breach of confidential information, contact the Office of the Registrar immediately at registrar@uchicago.edu or 773.702.7891.