Access to Student Records and Release of Student Information
Information about students and former students gathered by the University of Oklahoma is of two types: directory and confidential.
Any office gathering such information and/or having custody of it shall release it only in accordance with the Family Educational rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA is the federal law that governs the rights of students and university responsibility with respect to student records.
When a student enters a university and furnishes data required for academic and personal records, there is an implicit and justifiable assumption
of trust placed in the University as custodian of such information. This relationship continues with regard to any data subsequently generated
during the student's enrollment. A student’s education record includes any records maintained by the University that are directly related to that
student, including but not limited to, handwriting, print, computer media, video or audio tape, film, microfilm, and microfiche.
While the University fully acknowledges the student's rights of privacy concerning this information, it also recognizes that certain information is
part of the public record and may be released for legitimate purposes.
Directory Information
This is information, which routinely appears in student directories and alumni publications and may be freely released. The University of
Oklahoma has designated specific information as Directory Information:
Name
local and permanent addresses
email address
telephone number
college
maj
or
classification
current enrollment status
participation in recognized student activities & sports
dates of attendance
degrees and awards received and dates of receipt
posting of individual student’s grades and interim class
evaluations by code number which does not identify the student
anticipated date of graduation based on completed hours.
The University of Oklahoma may disclose any of the above listed items, without the student’s prior written consent, unless the student elects
to withhold directory information by notifying the Office or Academic Records in writing.
Withholding Directory Information
A student may elect to withhold directory information by filling out the Directory Information Hold Form (PDF) and submitting it to the Office
of Academic Records, 1000 Asp Avenue, Buchanan Hall room 230. For students who withhold directory information, University
officials are prohibited from releasing any information without a written release from the student.
Confidential Information
Any information that is not included in the definition of the institution's directory information is confidential and may not be disclosed without
the student's signed and dated release, except as otherwise provided by law:
school officials within the institution who have a legitimate
educational interest - A school official is a person employed by the
University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or
research, or support staff position (including law enforcement
personne
l and health staff), a person serving on
the Board of
Regents, a person or company under contract to the University to
perform a service or function instead of using University
employees or officials, a student serving on an official committee
such as a disciplinary or grievance committee or who is assisting
another school official in performing his/her tasks;
officials of schools to which the student seeks to transfer;
the Comptroller General of the United States, the HEW Secretary,
the administrative head of an educational agency,
or State
educational authorities;
in connection with the student's application for,
or receipt of,
financial aid if the information is necessary to determine eligibility,
amount of or conditions for the aid or to enforce the terms and
conditions of the aid;
State and local officials or authorities to which such information is
specifically required to be reported under the State statute and
adopted prior to November 19, 1974;
organizations or educational agencies conducting legitimate
research, provided no personal identifiable information about the
student is made public;
accrediting organizations;
parents of a dependent student upon proof of dependency
(exclusive of international students);
in connection with an emergency when such information is
necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other
persons, and
to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
provided that the educational institution makes a reasonable effort
to notify the student of such prior to compliance, unless the
existence or contents of the subpoena or order may not be
disclosed by law.
Personal information shall only be transferred to a third party, however, on the condition that such party will not permit any other party to have
access to the information without the written consent of the student.
University employees may not disclose personally identifiable information to anyone other than the student about whom the
information pertains. Personally identifiable information is information that directly identifies a student or would make the student's identity
easily traceable, including but not limited to: the student’s name, the name of the student’s parent or other family members, the address of
the student or the student’s family, personal identifiers such as the student’s social security number or biometric record, other indirect
identifiers such as the student’s date of birth or mother’s maiden name, or 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
relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty, or information requested by a person who the educational agency
or institution reasonably believes knows the identity of the student to whom the education record relates.
You should always check and double check your recipient list before sending non-directory, student education information via email. You
must ensure that you are not disclosing non-directory, student education information to anyone other than the student about whom the
information pertains.
Remember, just because you have access to student data does not mean you have the authority to release the information without the
student’s consent.
