Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERFA or the Buckley Amendment) affords students certain privacy rights regarding their education records. Those rights are summarized below.
FERPA protects the privacy of all education records, in any medium, maintained by Louisiana State University of Alexandria. All student education records, including documents about students contained in computer databases, are protected. Generally, only directory information may be released to third parties, including parents of dependent or independent students, without the student's written consent.
FERPA Guidelines
Students at Louisiana State University of Alexandria may access their educational records. This includes nearly all information maintained by the university which is directly related to the student. In most cases, an educational record that's "directly related to a student," consists of grades and semester enrollment. Students have the right to review their educational record within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
Note: Students must provide photo identification in order to access their education records.
The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students who believe their record is inaccurate or misleading should write to the university official responsible for the record. Clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing about the request for amendment. Additional information about the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
Note: FERPA does not address grade disputes or grievances, which are pursued through other university and/or college procedures.
At institutions of higher education, students may authorize the release of their educational records--but the student has the exclusive right to decide whether or not to authorize the release. This means that, in most cases, even a student's parent may not demand the release of the student's educational record. Moreover, students' access to their own educational records--as well as the right to limit disclosure of those records--continues even after they graduate or otherwise leave the institution.
A student may give consent in writing to release their enrollment information to a third party, this includes a letter of verification or an official transcript. Students may also complete a FERPA Release to have certain information made available to their parent or guardian.
If you believe Louisiana State University of Alexandria is not complying with state or federal regulations regarding FERPA or other privacy protections, please bring the Registrar's Office your concerns to see if we can agree upon a resolution. Every effort will be made to address your concern; if you are not satisfied; you have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Louisiana State University of Alexandria to comply with the requirements of FERPA. A complaint may be filed in writing with the Department of Education at the following address:
Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO)
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC, 20202-8520
Directory information is information contained in an educational record of a student that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. This information may be released to anyone without the consent of the student, unless the student indicates otherwise, except to the extent that FERPA authorized disclosure without permission.
Louisiana State University at Alexandria has established the following as directory information and it may be released to those requesting it, unless the student specifically requests otherwise by submitting written notification to the Office of the University Registrar.
Name, mailing address, telephone listing, and campus e-mail address.
State of residence
Major field of study, including the college, division, department, or program in which the student is enrolled
Classification as a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student, or by number referring to such cases
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
Weight and height of members of athletic teams
Dates of attendance and graduation and degrees received
The most recent educational institution attended
Honors and awards received, including selection to a Dean's list or honorary organization and the grade point average required to achieve the honor or award
Photographic, video, or electronic images of students taken and maintained by the University
Education Record
Any record(s) directly related to a student and maintained by LSUA or by a party acting for the university. Education records include any information or data recorded in any medium, including but not limited to handwriting, print, computer media, video or audio tape, film, microfilm, and microfiche.
Personally Identifiable Information
Includes not only the name of the student and other personal identifiers, but also a list or description of personal characteristics or any other information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community, who does not have personal knowledge of the student and/or relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty. Further, personally identifiable information includes all information about a student that is not defined as directory information, as well as any information that the student has indicated may not be released, including directory information.
Student
Any individual formally admitted who is or has been in attendance at LSUA. The term does not apply to applicants for admission, nor does it apply to persons who have been admitted but who have not registered.
What does FERPA mean for you?
The Family Educational Right to Privacy Act was designed to protect the privacy of student education records, establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records and provide guidelines for correcting inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. As a student at LSUA, you should become familiar with your rights under the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act.
Unless otherwise requested, directory information may be shared without consent. To avoid the release of directory information, students may submit a Confidentiality Request Form to the Office of the Registrar. Students who have completed a Confidentiality Request Form must appear in person and provide a picture ID to access educational records or receive university services.
How Do I Share My Academic Information?
Students control access to their grades by ordering official transcripts through their MyLSUA site or by printing a PDF Audit from Degree Navigator.
Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters (Solomon Amendment)
Louisiana State University of Alexandria provides information about students that military recruiters request under the requirements of the Solomon Amendment. Under this federal law, military recruiters may request the following information: Name, current mailing address (as provided by the student) including email address, current telephone number (as provided by the student), age, class level (e.g., freshman, sophomore, etc.), and academic major.
The information may be requested for the immediately previous, current, or future term for all students aged 17 and older who were registered at LSUA for at least one credit in the requested term. Recruiters may request this information each term. Recruiters may not obtain any information that is not in the above list of student recruiting information. For example, they may not request any of the following: Social Security Number or ID Number, place of birth, race/ethnicity/nationality, grades and GPA, grades of low-performing students, religious affiliation, names of students with loans in default, veteran status, or names of students no longer enrolled at LSUA. Institutions that do not comply with the Solomon Amendment risk losing federal funding from the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Transportation. Institutions such as Perkins Loans, Federal SEOG, or Work-Study funds do not risk losing student-aid financing.
Letters of Recommendation
You may need to request a school official to write a letter of recommendation for you.
This usually would not require your written permission. Still, if the letter includes information that falls within FERPA's definition of educational records, grade point average, class ranking, or grades, your written consent is required to release this information.
What does FERPA mean for Parents and Families:
Can I have access to my student's grades?
Grades are part of the student's educational record, protected under FERPA. LSUA cannot provide a parent or family member access to a student's grades without the student's written permission.
The Office of the Registrar manages student grade records and the requirements to disclose those grades.
Where can I see the content of the law?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act can be found on the United States Department of Education's website.
LSUA posts notice to Students Regarding the Privacy of Records in the LSUA Catalog.
Generally, share student-specific information only with the individual student.
As rule of thumb, presume that all student information is confidential, and do not disclose information to a third party without a student’s written consent except to University officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the information. Consult with the Registrar’s Office to understand which information the University can properly disclose. To verify if a student is listed as confidential, please enter the Self-Service site, and Class lists, choose the Detailed Class List, click on the student’s name, and select ‘view Dossier’, under the Header ‘Release Information’ look for “No Release.”
IF the student’s record does not show the words “No Release,” THEN you may share Directory Information.
During a semester if you want to allow students to pick up homework unattended or to share other course-specific, FERPA-protected information you may create a section-specific unique number to be shared only between the student and faculty of a particular course section you may use that number as section-specific-identifier for submitting and returning graded material via public-posting.
Be advised that the number used as a section-specific-identifier must be assigned by the faculty, should be “randomly” generated to avoid deduction (no easily discernable patterns of assignment), and may not be used for any other purpose. The number may not be used in other course sections this semester or in future semesters. There can be no other personally identifiable information on the graded material.
Avoid inadvertently disclosing information from student records by following these examples.
Do not place graded, identifiable student work in the hallway or an unmonitored area for students to pick up.
Do not post or display grades either publicly or to other students, in print or electronic form, if grades are linked to a student ID number, name, or other identifier. For larger classes, grades can be posted for exams only if a unique ID or number is known only to the instructor and the student.
Avoid requiring students to post identifiable homework assignments or projects in a publicly accessible online forum (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, and other social media spaces).
Instead of requiring students to participate in a publicly accessible online blog, allow students to opt-out, create a private blog, or consider using the campus learning management system.
If Moodle or a similar system is used to solicit or share calendar or schedule information, create a private poll so student information is not disclosed to other students.
Obtain consent from new students before sharing their personal information, biographical or academic, with other students, faculty, or others.
Do not circulate or post a class roster of student names or one that includes photographs or student ID numbers.
The cloud computing environment offers many handy and inexpensive applications. However, placing information about students on a website not under contract with the University may raise FERPA issues. Make the use of these sites optional, or allow students concerned about privacy to provide their information to you in a secure manner.
In letters of recommendation, faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can discuss their observations, but they should not disclose information from student records, such as grades, without the student’s consent.
Letters of Recommendation
Occasionally, a school official may be asked, or volunteer, to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student.
This usually would not require the student's written release or authorization. But if the letter includes information that falls within FERPA's definition of educational records--such as grade point average or class ranking--the student's written consent to include such information would be necessary.
Faculty Access to Student Information
Faculty are not automatically entitled to access all information about their students. Faculty have a legitimate educational interest in information only if the information is relevant and necessary for them to fulfill their role in the student’s education.
Health or Safety Emergency Disclosure
Faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can share information about distressed or disruptive students with University officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the information. In addition, if a health or safety emergency exists, faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can share information with other people, within and outside the University, to protect the health or safety of the student or others.
Students' Right to Access Information
Students have a right to access most information in the records that the University maintains about them, including e-mail messages between faculty or staff that refer or relate to them. Knowing that a student might read your e-mail message later, keep your e-mail messages focused on facts and try to avoid communicating subjective judgments. Notwithstanding their general right of access, students do not have a right to access records that are kept in the sole possession of the person who created the record, are used only as a personal memory aid, and are not accessible by or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the person who created the record.
Parental Access to Student Information
Parents of LSUA students do not have a right to obtain information from student records, including grades and faculty records about a student’s performance in class.
What does FERPA mean for you?
The Family Educational Right to Privacy Act was designed to protect the privacy of student education records, establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records and provide guidelines for correcting inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. As a student at LSUA, you should become familiar with your rights under the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act.
Unless otherwise requested, directory information may be shared without consent. To avoid the release of directory information, students may submit a Confidentiality Request Form to the Office of the Registrar. Students who have completed a Confidentiality Request Form must appear in person and provide a picture ID to access educational records or receive university services.
How Do I Share My Academic Information?
Students control access to their grades by ordering official transcripts through their MyLSUA site or by printing a PDF Audit from Degree Navigator.
Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters (Solomon Amendment)
Louisiana State University of Alexandria provides information about students that military recruiters request under the requirements of the Solomon Amendment. Under this federal law, military recruiters may request the following information: Name, current mailing address (as provided by the student) including email address, current telephone number (as provided by the student), age, class level (e.g., freshman, sophomore, etc.), and academic major.
The information may be requested for the immediately previous, current, or future term for all students aged 17 and older who were registered at LSUA for at least one credit in the requested term. Recruiters may request this information each term. Recruiters may not obtain any information that is not in the above list of student recruiting information. For example, they may not request any of the following: Social Security Number or ID Number, place of birth, race/ethnicity/nationality, grades and GPA, grades of low-performing students, religious affiliation, names of students with loans in default, veteran status, or names of students no longer enrolled at LSUA. Institutions that do not comply with the Solomon Amendment risk losing federal funding from the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Transportation. Institutions such as Perkins Loans, Federal SEOG, or Work-Study funds do not risk losing student-aid financing.
Letters of Recommendation
You may need to request a school official to write a letter of recommendation for you.
This usually would not require your written permission. Still, if the letter includes information that falls within FERPA's definition of educational records, grade point average, class ranking, or grades, your written consent is required to release this information.
What does FERPA mean for Parents and Families:
Can I have access to my student's grades?
Grades are part of the student's educational record, protected under FERPA. LSUA cannot provide a parent or family member access to a student's grades without the student's written permission.
The Office of the Registrar manages student grade records and the requirements to disclose those grades.
Where can I see the content of the law?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act can be found on the United States Department of Education's website.
LSUA posts notice to Students Regarding the Privacy of Records in the LSUA Catalog.
Generally, share student-specific information only with the individual student.
As rule of thumb, presume that all student information is confidential, and do not disclose information to a third party without a student’s written consent except to University officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the information. Consult with the Registrar’s Office to understand which information the University can properly disclose. To verify if a student is listed as confidential, please enter the Self-Service site, and Class lists, choose the Detailed Class List, click on the student’s name, and select ‘view Dossier’, under the Header ‘Release Information’ look for “No Release.”
IF the student’s record does not show the words “No Release,” THEN you may share Directory Information.
During a semester if you want to allow students to pick up homework unattended or to share other course-specific, FERPA-protected information you may create a section-specific unique number to be shared only between the student and faculty of a particular course section you may use that number as section-specific-identifier for submitting and returning graded material via public-posting.
Be advised that the number used as a section-specific-identifier must be assigned by the faculty, should be “randomly” generated to avoid deduction (no easily discernable patterns of assignment), and may not be used for any other purpose. The number may not be used in other course sections this semester or in future semesters. There can be no other personally identifiable information on the graded material.
Avoid inadvertently disclosing information from student records by following these examples.
Do not place graded, identifiable student work in the hallway or an unmonitored area for students to pick up.
Do not post or display grades either publicly or to other students, in print or electronic form, if grades are linked to a student ID number, name, or other identifier. For larger classes, grades can be posted for exams only if a unique ID or number is known only to the instructor and the student.
Avoid requiring students to post identifiable homework assignments or projects in a publicly accessible online forum (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, and other social media spaces).
Instead of requiring students to participate in a publicly accessible online blog, allow students to opt-out, create a private blog, or consider using the campus learning management system.
If Moodle or a similar system is used to solicit or share calendar or schedule information, create a private poll so student information is not disclosed to other students.
Obtain consent from new students before sharing their personal information, biographical or academic, with other students, faculty, or others.
Do not circulate or post a class roster of student names or one that includes photographs or student ID numbers.
The cloud computing environment offers many handy and inexpensive applications. However, placing information about students on a website not under contract with the University may raise FERPA issues. Make the use of these sites optional, or allow students concerned about privacy to provide their information to you in a secure manner.
In letters of recommendation, faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can discuss their observations, but they should not disclose information from student records, such as grades, without the student’s consent.
Letters of Recommendation
Occasionally, a school official may be asked, or volunteer, to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student.
This usually would not require the student's written release or authorization. But if the letter includes information that falls within FERPA's definition of educational records--such as grade point average or class ranking--the student's written consent to include such information would be necessary.
Faculty Access to Student Information
Faculty are not automatically entitled to access all information about their students. Faculty have a legitimate educational interest in information only if the information is relevant and necessary for them to fulfill their role in the student’s education.
Health or Safety Emergency Disclosure
Faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can share information about distressed or disruptive students with University officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the information. In addition, if a health or safety emergency exists, faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can share information with other people, within and outside the University, to protect the health or safety of the student or others.
Students' Right to Access Information
Students have a right to access most information in the records that the University maintains about them, including e-mail messages between faculty or staff that refer or relate to them. Knowing that a student might read your e-mail message later, keep your e-mail messages focused on facts and try to avoid communicating subjective judgments. Notwithstanding their general right of access, students do not have a right to access records that are kept in the sole possession of the person who created the record, are used only as a personal memory aid, and are not accessible by or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the person who created the record.
Parental Access to Student Information
Parents of LSUA students do not have a right to obtain information from student records, including grades and faculty records about a student’s performance in class.
What does FERPA mean for you?
The Family Educational Right to Privacy Act was designed to protect the privacy of student education records, establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records and provide guidelines for correcting inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. As a student at LSUA, you should become familiar with your rights under the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act.
Unless otherwise requested, directory information may be shared without consent. To avoid the release of directory information, students may submit a Confidentiality Request Form to the Office of the Registrar. Students who have completed a Confidentiality Request Form must appear in person and provide a picture ID to access educational records or receive university services.
How Do I Share My Academic Information?
Students control access to their grades by ordering official transcripts through their MyLSUA site or by printing a PDF Audit from Degree Navigator.
Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters (Solomon Amendment)
Louisiana State University of Alexandria provides information about students that military recruiters request under the requirements of the Solomon Amendment. Under this federal law, military recruiters may request the following information: Name, current mailing address (as provided by the student) including email address, current telephone number (as provided by the student), age, class level (e.g., freshman, sophomore, etc.), and academic major.
The information may be requested for the immediately previous, current, or future term for all students aged 17 and older who were registered at LSUA for at least one credit in the requested term. Recruiters may request this information each term. Recruiters may not obtain any information that is not in the above list of student recruiting information. For example, they may not request any of the following: Social Security Number or ID Number, place of birth, race/ethnicity/nationality, grades and GPA, grades of low-performing students, religious affiliation, names of students with loans in default, veteran status, or names of students no longer enrolled at LSUA. Institutions that do not comply with the Solomon Amendment risk losing federal funding from the Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Transportation. Institutions such as Perkins Loans, Federal SEOG, or Work-Study funds do not risk losing student-aid financing.
Letters of Recommendation
You may need to request a school official to write a letter of recommendation for you.
This usually would not require your written permission. Still, if the letter includes information that falls within FERPA's definition of educational records, grade point average, class ranking, or grades, your written consent is required to release this information.
What does FERPA mean for Parents and Families:
Can I have access to my student's grades?
Grades are part of the student's educational record, protected under FERPA. LSUA cannot provide a parent or family member access to a student's grades without the student's written permission.
The Office of the Registrar manages student grade records and the requirements to disclose those grades.
Where can I see the content of the law?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act can be found on the United States Department of Education's website.
LSUA posts notice to Students Regarding the Privacy of Records in the LSUA Catalog.
Generally, share student-specific information only with the individual student.
As rule of thumb, presume that all student information is confidential, and do not disclose information to a third party without a student’s written consent except to University officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the information. Consult with the Registrar’s Office to understand which information the University can properly disclose. To verify if a student is listed as confidential, please enter the Self-Service site, and Class lists, choose the Detailed Class List, click on the student’s name, and select ‘view Dossier’, under the Header ‘Release Information’ look for “No Release.”
IF the student’s record does not show the words “No Release,” THEN you may share Directory Information.
During a semester if you want to allow students to pick up homework unattended or to share other course-specific, FERPA-protected information you may create a section-specific unique number to be shared only between the student and faculty of a particular course section you may use that number as section-specific-identifier for submitting and returning graded material via public-posting.
Be advised that the number used as a section-specific-identifier must be assigned by the faculty, should be “randomly” generated to avoid deduction (no easily discernable patterns of assignment), and may not be used for any other purpose. The number may not be used in other course sections this semester or in future semesters. There can be no other personally identifiable information on the graded material.
Avoid inadvertently disclosing information from student records by following these examples.
Do not place graded, identifiable student work in the hallway or an unmonitored area for students to pick up.
Do not post or display grades either publicly or to other students, in print or electronic form, if grades are linked to a student ID number, name, or other identifier. For larger classes, grades can be posted for exams only if a unique ID or number is known only to the instructor and the student.
Avoid requiring students to post identifiable homework assignments or projects in a publicly accessible online forum (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, and other social media spaces).
Instead of requiring students to participate in a publicly accessible online blog, allow students to opt-out, create a private blog, or consider using the campus learning management system.
If Moodle or a similar system is used to solicit or share calendar or schedule information, create a private poll so student information is not disclosed to other students.
Obtain consent from new students before sharing their personal information, biographical or academic, with other students, faculty, or others.
Do not circulate or post a class roster of student names or one that includes photographs or student ID numbers.
The cloud computing environment offers many handy and inexpensive applications. However, placing information about students on a website not under contract with the University may raise FERPA issues. Make the use of these sites optional, or allow students concerned about privacy to provide their information to you in a secure manner.
In letters of recommendation, faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can discuss their observations, but they should not disclose information from student records, such as grades, without the student’s consent.
Letters of Recommendation
Occasionally, a school official may be asked, or volunteer, to write a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student.
This usually would not require the student's written release or authorization. But if the letter includes information that falls within FERPA's definition of educational records--such as grade point average or class ranking--the student's written consent to include such information would be necessary.
Faculty Access to Student Information
Faculty are not automatically entitled to access all information about their students. Faculty have a legitimate educational interest in information only if the information is relevant and necessary for them to fulfill their role in the student’s education.
Health or Safety Emergency Disclosure
Faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can share information about distressed or disruptive students with University officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the information. In addition, if a health or safety emergency exists, faculty, teaching assistants, and readers can share information with other people, within and outside the University, to protect the health or safety of the student or others.
Students' Right to Access Information
Students have a right to access most information in the records that the University maintains about them, including e-mail messages between faculty or staff that refer or relate to them. Knowing that a student might read your e-mail message later, keep your e-mail messages focused on facts and try to avoid communicating subjective judgments. Notwithstanding their general right of access, students do not have a right to access records that are kept in the sole possession of the person who created the record, are used only as a personal memory aid, and are not accessible by or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the person who created the record.
Parental Access to Student Information
Parents of LSUA students do not have a right to obtain information from student records, including grades and faculty records about a student’s performance in class.
