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FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. The essence of FERPA is to give a student the right to inspect his or her education records and to protect the privacy of these records. The statute applies to any educational agency or institution that receives funding under any program administered by the Secretary of Education.
Right to Inspect/Review
A student has a right to inspect and review any education record to which he or she is permitted under this policy. Education records are maintained in a number of University offices. Requests to review records must be made in writing to the responsible official of each office which maintains the records who shall comply with the request within 45 days upon receipt.
The University reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records:
Right to Challenge the Content of Education Records
A student who wishes to challenge the content of the educational record may do so by submitting a written request to the official responsible for maintaining the record, with such request specifying the content being challenged, the grounds for the challenge, and the exact action being sought. If the official grants the request, the change(s) will be made. If the request is denied, the student will be informed and will be given the opportunity to add an explanation to the record and/or appeal the official’s decision. See UW Regulation 2-205 and Appendix A to UW Regulation 2-205 for details.
Right to Have Some Control Over the Disclosure of Information from Education Records
This includes the student’s right to prevent the disclosure of directory information.
Right to File a Complaint
Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if the student believes that the University has failed to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The complaint must be made within 180 days of when the infraction was discovered, and there must be sufficient evidence to prove the violation. The written complaint should be sent to: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-5920.
FERPA protects the privacy of education records. School officials may not disclose personally identifiable information about students or permit inspection of their records without written permission from the student, unless such action is covered by certain exceptions permitted by FERPA.
Examples of record release with written permission from students are:
Request to send a transcript to a third party
(through WyoWeb at: https://wyoweb.uwyo.edu)
One-Time Authorization to Release Educational Information (Registrar) (PDF)
Authorized User Setup - Please set your parent/guardian up as an Authorized User. It not only allows our office to speak with them about details of your account, but it also allows them to receive electronic billing statements and make payments to your student account online! Please visit our Authorized User Setup page for instructions on how to set your parent/guardian up as an Authorized User!
Directory information may be released without the written consent of the student, unless the student has filed a Request for Privacy (PDF). An institution may not disclose or confirm directory information without the student’s written consent if the student’s social security number or other non-directory information is used alone or combined with other data elements to identify the student.
Prior consent is not required to disclose personally identifiable information:
To “school officials” who have a “legitimate educational interest” in the student. “School official” is defined as an individual currently serving as a member of the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees or classified as faculty, administrative, or professional, and the staff such school officials supervise; the University of Wyoming Alumni Association and the University of Wyoming Foundation and the staff they supervise; the National Student Clearinghouse; and contractors, volunteers, and other non-employees performing institutional functions as school officials with legitimate educational interests. In general, a school official has a “legitimate educational interest” if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility to the University. Records should be used only in the context of official educational business.
To another institution to which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
To federal, state, and local authorities involving an audit or evaluation of compliance with education programs.
In connection with financial aid (such as the administration or continuation of aid).
To individuals or organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of an educational institution.
To regional or professional accreditation organizations.
To parents of a dependent student, if the parent has provided to the Registrar’s Office evidence that they declare the student as a dependent on their most recent Federal Income Tax form (Form 1040).
In response to a lawfully issued court order or subpoena (normally handled by the Registrar, Cashier's Office, other official record custodian and/or Legal Counsel)
In the event that the release of information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.
If the disclosure is the result of a disciplinary hearing where the student is the perpetrator for a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense. Under this exception, information may be released to anyone, including the media. No information on the victim or witnesses may be released.
To parents of a student under the age of 21 who has committed a drug or alcohol related offense.
University of Wyoming Directory Information
The following items are considered “directory information” at UW. Directory information may be released without the written consent of the student, unless the student has filed a Request for Privacy (PDF). An institution may not disclose or confirm directory information without the student’s written consent if the student’s social security number or other non-directory information is used alone or combined with other data elements to identify the student.
student's name
local and permanent addresses or hometown
institutional electronic mail address
telephone number
year of birth
major field of study
dates of attendance at the University of Wyoming
degrees, honors, and awards granted or received and dates granted or received
academic classification such as freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, etc.
most recent educational institution previously attended
dissertation or thesis title
advisor or thesis/dissertation advisor
participation in officially recognized organizations, activities, sports, and weight and height of student participating in officially recognized sports
parents' names and addresses (city and state only)
Restricting the release of directory information - the "Buckley Flag"
Students may complete and submit to the Office of the Registrar a Request for Privacy (PDF) (Buckley Form). Students should consider all aspects of a directory information hold prior to filing such a request. This request will prevent the University of Wyoming from releasing any directory information, and any requests for such information from non-institutional persons or organizations will be refused (i.e., your name will not appear in the commencement program, we will not be able to confirm your degree to a prospective employer, your name will not be provided to honor societies that wish to invite you to join, etc.). Requests for non-disclosure that were made while a student was in attendance continue to be honored, even after the student leaves the University, unless the request is revoked by the student (or former student).To revoke a directory hold (or Buckley flag), students may complete and submit a Request for Privacy (PDF) (Buckley Form). A student with a directory hold may request a one-time exception to allow UW to publish his/her name in the UW Commencement Program by submitting a One-Time Directory Hold Exception (PDF) for Commencement Program form on or before the diploma application deadline.
Location of Education Records
The Office of the Registrar is the official office of the University for maintaining and releasing information pertaining to students’ academic records. Additional academic records exist in other campus offices, such as college advising offices, the Graduate Programs, and faculty offices. The Dean of Students Office is the official office of the University for maintaining and releasing information pertaining to students’ discipline records. Career Services is the official office of the University for collecting and releasing information furnished or authorized by students for the purpose of seeking employment. Billing information is maintained by the Cashier's Office, and financial aid information is maintained by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
Parental Access to Student Education Records
At the elementary and secondary school level, FERPA gives parents the right to access education records. When a student reaches 18 years of age or is attending an institution of post-secondary education, FERPA rights transfer from parent to student. Therefore, at the postsecondary level, parents have no inherent rights to inspect their son’s or daughter’s education records.
Information regarding education records is best obtained by direct communication between the parent and the student. Students may create an authorized user account for family members (or anyone else) that they would like to give access to their billing information. This is a convenient way for additional users to go online, through their own secure login to view and/or pay a student's tuition and fees. Visit the Cashier's Office Authorized User Setup to learn more at: https://www.uwyo.edu/fsbo/accounts-receivable/authorized-user-setup.html Once the account is set up, Authorized Users may login at: https://secure.touchnet.net/C27222_tsa/web/login.jsp
Parents of a dependent student may challenge denial of access to educational records by providing to the Registrar’s Office evidence that they declare the student as a dependent on their most recent Federal Income Tax form (Form 1040).
Annual Notification to Students
The annual notice to students required by FERPA shall be included in the current Class Schedule and policies or other information regarding FERPA shall be posted online at http://www.uwyo.edu/registrar/ferpa/index.html.
More Information About FERPA
U.S. Department of Education Family Policy Compliance Office
(http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/index.html)
AACRAO FERPA Guide
(https://www.aacrao.org/resources/ferpa/ferpa-compliance-training)
Link to the full act
(https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-A/part-99)
Balancing Student Privacy and School Safety: A Guide to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act for Colleges and Universities
(http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/brochures/postsec.html)
UW’s Regulation 2-205: Official Student Records and FERPA and Appendix A to UW Regulation 2-205
UW Regulation 2-205: Official Student Records and FERPA
Appendix A to UW Regulation 2-205
Comments or Questions
General questions may be directed to the Office of the Registrar or any other office that serves as an official custodian of student records. Comments or suggestions about this website should be addressed to the Office of the Registrar, Dept. 3964, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, (307) 766-5272 or email: registrar@uwyo.edu.
1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071
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