Registrar’s Office
2/1/2019
Registrar’s Office FERPA facts:
American International College promotes interactive
problem solving and open communication between students
and their families. The College shares student information in
accordance with federal and state regulations. The primary
regulations affecting student information are referred in the
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which
requires AIC faculty, staff and representatives to discuss the
content of a student’s education record with their parents and
guardians only if specific conditions are met. Below is a list of
frequently asked questions to help you understand these
regulations.
Q: What is FERPA?
A: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) is a federal law that affords parents the right
to access their children’s education records, the right to
seek to have the records amended, and the right to
have some control over the disclosure of personally
identifiable information from the education records.
When a student turns 18 years old, or enters a
postsecondary institution at any age, the rights under
FERPA transfer from the parents to the student.
Q: What can I do if I want faculty and staff to be able to
talk to my parents about my education record?
A: Simply complete the “FERPA” waiver and return it to
the Registrar’s Office.
Q: Once I submit the waiver form, how long is it in effect?
A: Consent will remain in effect until a student submits a
subsequent written request to the Registrar’s Office,
revoking their consent to release information.
Q: Do parents or guardians of college students have the
right to see their children’s education records? Does it
make a difference if they are paying the tuition?
A: The rights under FERPA transfer from parent to student
once the student turns 18 or enters a postsecondary
institution. The rights are not waived based upon who is
paying for the student’s education. The institution may,
however, disclose information from a student’s education
record to the parents of the student without the
student’s consent if the student is a dependent for
federal income tax purposes. Neither the age of the
student nor the parent’s status as a custodial parent is
relevant. If a student is claimed as a dependent by
either parent for tax purposes, then either parent may
have access under this provision. While AIC will
accept documentation of dependent status, we
encourage submission of the waiver as a preferred
approach to the release of education records since it
will not have to be submitted annually, as proof of
dependency.
Q: What constitutes an education record?
A: An education record is any record which contains information
that is personally identifiable to a student, and is maintained by
the Institution. Education records includes, but is not limited to
written and printed documents; electronic media; magnetic
tape (microfilm and microfiche); film; diskette or CDs; video or
audio tape. This includes transcripts or other records obtained
from a school in which a student was previously enrolled.
Q: What is not an education record?
A: Records not considered part of an education record
include, but are not limited to, records of the law
enforcement unit of an educational institution,
records made or maintained by a physician or other
recognized professional acting in his or her
professional capacity, and records that only contain
information about an individual after he or she is no
longer a student at the Institution.
Q: Under what circumstances may an institution disclose
information from education records without consent?
A: There are several exceptions to FERPA’s general prior
consent rule that are set for in the statute and the
regulations. See § 99.31 of the FERPA regulations. One
exception is the disclosure of “directory information” as
set forth in FERPA guidelines. (34 CFR § 99.31(a)
(11).).
Q: What is “directory information”?
A: "Directory information" means information contained in
an education record of a student that would not generally
be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if
disclosed. (a) Directory information includes, but is not
limited to, the student's name; address; telephone listing;
electronic mail address; photograph; date and place of
birth; major field of study; grade level; enrollment status
(e.g., undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time);
dates of attendance; participation in officially recognized
activities and sports; weight and height of members of
athletic teams; degrees, honors and awards received;
and the most recent educational agency or institution
attended
Q: What should I do if I want my “directory information”
handled as confidential information?
A: Students may choose at any time to have their
directory information marked confidential. To do so,
students must come in person to the Registrar’s
Office. The consequences of a decision to withhold
directory information will be explained to the student
by the Registrar Staff. The College will honor your
request to withhold directory information. AIC
assumes no liability as a result of honoring your
instructions to withhold this information.
