The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 as amended requires that students be advised of their rights concerning education records and of the information that the University of California, Riverside (UCR) has deemed directory information (public information).
Your Rights as a Student
FERPA governs and protects your rights to your individual education records. The primary rights protected under FERPA are:
- the right to inspect and review your education records
- the right to seek amendment to your education records
- the right to consent to the disclosure of your education records
- the right to obtain a copy ofUCR's FERPA policy
- the right to file complaint with the FERPA office in Washington, D.C.
Education Records
Education records are all records that 1) are maintained by UCR and 2) are related to the student with the following exceptions:
- Personal notes by faculty or staff which are not shared with others
- Law enforcement/public safety records maintained solely for law enforcement purposes
- Employment records where employment is not connected to student status (ex: Work study student employee records would be covered by FERPA)
- Records related to the treatment by a health care professional and used only for the medical/health treatment of the student
Location of Education Records
Educational records are not stored in one central place on campus. Requests to review your records must be made in writing and presented to the appropriate department. A list of the most common departments that maintain educational records can be foundhere.UCR FERPA policy dictates that departments have 30 days to respond to your request for information.
Detailed information on the inspection and review of education records can be found insection 3 of the UCR FERPA Policy.
Directory Information (Public Information)
The following information has been designated as public information by UCR. This information, in accordance with FERPA, may be released to any person who requests it unless you specifically request that it be restricted.
- Local Address
- Permanent Address
- Telephone Number
- Place of Birth
- Date of Birth
- E-mail Address
- Dates of Attendance
- Previous Schools Attended
- Degrees Awarded
- Major
- Honors
- Participation in official recognized activities or sports
- Height and weight of athletes
In order to request that the above information be restricted, please go to Growland click on "Privacy". Check any or all boxes next to the information that you would like to be withheld from the public. When choosing to restrict your information please be aware that any request from a third party (outside of UCR school officials) will be denied. For example, we would be unable to verify your degree to a prospective employer, print your name in a brochure, or provide information about you to your hometown newspaper. UCR will not assume responsibility to contact you to grant additional permission for the release of your information unless you notify us in writing to release information for a one time request.
You can grant permission to release restricted public information or private information contained within your educational record to a third party by going toGrowland click on "Authorization". You can establish a PIN for any person that you wish to access your information. You can choose what information that individual has access to and can also grant them permission to call Student Business Services, Financial Aid, or Housing to discuss your account. You are responsible for granting and removing access to your account.
Non-Directory Information (Private Information)
Any person that UCR has identified as a school official with legitimate educational interest can access your non-directory (confidential, private) education records. Legitimate educational interest has been defined as:
- Performing a task that is specified in his/her position description or contract
- Performing a task related to a student's education or a student's discipline
- Providing a service or benefit to the student
- Maintaining safety and security on campus
Additional groups or individuals that may access your non-directory information can be found insection 7 of the UCR FERPA Policy.