FERPA for Parents
When your child was in elementary and high school, FERPA gave you and your child rights to access and control your child's educational records. Now that your child is in college, t hese same laws transfer ownership of the records directly to the student.
According to FERPA, college students are considered responsible adults and are allowed to determine who will receive information about them. While parents understandably have an interest in a student's academic progress, they are not automatically granted access to a student's records without written consent of the student. Parents are encouraged to consult with the student if academic information is needed. Your child may give permission for a third party to access his/her records by going to
GROWL and setting up an authorized user account for you.
UCR does not provide private information or restricted public information (even with consent) over the phone or by e-mail.
FAQ'S
How can I get a copy of my student's grades?
The only way for you to receive information about your child's grades, financial statement, or other student information is for him/her to provide it to you. Students can look information up online, print it off, and give or e-mail a copy to their parents. Student records are available on their GROWL account. Students may also choose to grant you direct access to their account by setting you up as an “Authorized User”. In order to do this, your student must log into GROWL and go to “Authorization” to set up access.
If I'm paying for my child's education, why can't I get a copy of his records?
University policy does not include an exception permitting disclosures to parents of financially dependent students. Regardless of a student’s age or financial status, the policy does not provide parents an automatic right of access to information. Rather, information may only be shared with parents with the student’s consent, in a health or safety emergency or pursuant to another FERPA exception. Students may choose to grant you direct access to their account by setting you up as an “Authorized User”. In order to do this, your student must log into GROWL and go to “Authorization” to set up access.
My student granted me access to GROWL. Can you e-mail a copy of her transcript?
As a matter of policy, the University does not release confidential information over the phone or by e-mail. Financial Aid, Housing, and Student Business Services may discuss your student’s financial account with you, provided your student has granted you authorization in GROWL.
GROWL authorization does not extend to other campus offices or automatically grant you permission to discuss your child’s student record with the University. Individual authorization forms may be available, from specific offices, for students to complete and sign allowing limited release of information to you. The University does not have a “blanket” release form that covers the release of all student information to you. Release forms are generally very specific and students may be required to fill out a form each time they request information be shared with you.
Does FERPA allow me access to my son or daughter's medical and counseling records?
While it is true that neither FERPA nor HIPAA imposes additional restrictions on the disclosure of medical and mental health records to parents or others (where disclosure would ordinarily be permitted under a FERPA exception), there are California state laws that do provide additional privacy protections in the areas of medical and mental health treatment records. At the University, we work with the each individual on a case-by-case basis to determine if release of information is in his or her best interest. Questions about medical records should be directed to the Campus Health Center and questions about counseling records should be directed to the Counseling Center.
Does my GROWL authorization allow me access to my son or daughter’s medical and counseling records?
No, GROWL authorization only allows you to view the information that your student has designated you to see online.
Will I be contacted if my student is sick or hurt? What if my child is in academic trouble, or facing disciplinary action?
In most cases, the University will not contact you or provide medical, academic, or disciplinary information without your child's permission. In the case of an extreme emergency, where the health of your son or daughter is in serious jeopardy, or if there is a concern that he/she poses a threat to him or herself or to someone else, the University may contact you. As a general guideline, if your child is able to communicate about the situation, it is up to him/her to decide whether and how to discuss the issues.
Isn't there a FERPA provision that colleges and universities can contact parents if a student violates alcohol or drug policies?
FERPA regulations allow, but do not require, higher education institutions to provide notice to parents when a student violates federal, state or local laws related to alcohol or drugs. University policy does not permit disclosures to parents regarding a student’s alcohol violations. This information may only be shared with consent, in a health or safety emergency or pursuant to another FERPA exception. Contact the Dean of Students if you have any questions or concerns regarding disciplinary records.
Where can I find out more about FERPA?
The U.S. Department of Education is responsible for overseeing FERPA. Information can be found on their Web site: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/.
In addition, policy specific to the University of California System and the University of California, Riverside campus can be found online at the following Web sites:
UC System FERPA policy : http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/coordrev/ucpolicies/aos/toc130.html
UCR FERPA policy: http://registrar.ucr.edu/QuickLinks/FERPA+Policies.htm#university