FERPA Tutorial

What is an educational record?

Just about any information directly related to a student and maintained by Smith College or by a person acting for the College is considered a student educational record. Any record related directly to a student must be held in confidence.

Examples of educational records include: grades/transcripts

• student schedules
• names of students' advisers
• papers/student thesis/tests
• records of student discipline
• personal information such as social security number, age, parent's name

Educational records are not:

• sole possession records (not accessible or revealed to any other person)
• law enforcement records, as defined in FERPA
• employment records
• medical records
• post-attendance records

The storage media in which you find this information does not matter. A student educational record may be:

• a document in the Office of the Registrar
• a computer printout in your office
• a class list on your desktop
• a computer display screen
• notes you have taken during an advising session

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