FERPA

What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA rights belong to the student upon attendance at SUNY Purchase, regardless of age.

Read the Complete FERPA Policy

FERPA Rights

FERPA gives students the right to:

Inspect and review their education records
Request amendment of records they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise violate their privacy rights under FERPA
Provide written consent before personally identifiable information from their education records is disclosed, except when FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent
Inspect the record of certain requests for and disclosures of their education records
Restrict disclosure of directory information
File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by SUNY Purchase to comply with FERPA

What is an Education Record?

An education record is a record that is directly related to a student and maintained by SUNY Purchase or by a party acting for the College. Education records may exist in paper, electronic, photographic, audio, video, or other recorded formats.

Examples may include:

Enrollment and registration records
Grades, class schedules, and class lists
Academic advising records
Financial aid and student-account records
Student conduct and housing records
Student information maintained in College or approved vendor systems

Certain records are excluded from FERPA’s definition of education records, including qualifying sole possession notes, qualifying law-enforcement unit records, employment records unrelated to student status, and qualifying treatment records. See the complete FERPA policy for additional information.

Directory Information

SUNY Purchase designates the following as directory information:

Name
Photographs
Home address, phone number, and email address
Dates of attendance, graduation, and matriculation status
Major fields of study, degrees, class level, and full-time or part-time status
Participation in recognized College activities and awards
Athletes’ height and weight

The College may disclose directory information without the student’s prior written consent unless the student has submitted a valid request to restrict disclosure. Designation as directory information permits disclosure but does not require the College to disclose it.

A student may request suppression of all directory information at any time while the student is in attendance at SUNY Purchase by submitting the Suppression of Directory Information form to the Office of the Registrar. The restriction applies prospectively after the request is processed and remains in effect until revoked in writing. It does not prevent disclosures otherwise permitted by FERPA or other applicable law.

Suppression of Directory Information Form

Information for Faculty and Staff

FERPA permits disclosure of education records to school officials who have legitimate educational interests.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest when access to particular education records is reasonably necessary to perform an assigned responsibility for SUNY Purchase. Access based on curiosity, personal interest, convenience, or an unofficial purpose is prohibited.

Faculty, staff, student employees, contractors, and other school officials must protect the confidentiality of student education records.

When handling education records:

Access and use only the records needed to perform your authorized duties
Share education record information with another school official only when that individual has a legitimate educational interest
Verify the identity and authority of a person before discussing or releasing student information
Use College approved systems, accounts, and communication methods
Take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized viewing, access, or disclosure
Do not disclose education records to parents, family members, or other third parties unless the student has authorized the disclosure
Do not post grades or return student work in a way that reveals another student’s information
Do not provide a student’s class schedule or location to an unauthorized person

Suspected loss, misdirection, unauthorized access, or unauthorized disclosure of student education record information must be reported immediately to the Office of the Registrar and through any applicable College privacy or information-security process.

When in doubt, do not release any information before you contact the Office of the Registrar at 914-251-6361.

Additional Resources

Questions

Office of the Registrar
Student Services Building, First Floor
SUNY Purchase
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
914-251-6361
registrar@purchase.edu

Office of the Registrar