Accessing Student Information- FERPA

Throughout the school year, we occasionally receive calls from parents and other family members who are interested in learning more about their student’s experience at Jacksonville University. In some instances, they want information about grades. In others, they have questions pertaining to courses and credits earned, or other potentially sensitive topics. Though these requests may be well meaning, we are unable to satisfy them without your student’s consent.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds from the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. However, these rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

Without your student’s consent, we cannot release the following:

Student number

Grades/Exam Scores

Grade Point Average

Social Security Number

Parent Address/Phone

Detail of Registration Information (i.e., courses, times)

Race, Ethnicity, or Nationality

Gender

Date of Birth

Total Credits

Number of Credits Enrolled in a Quarter

Emergency Contact

We do offer students the opportunity to grant access to their education records to other entities besides themselves, such as a parent, spouse, etc. The appropriate form is made available in the Registrar’s Office.

Unless students request that it be blocked, Jacksonville University may release what is known as directory information. At the school’s discretion and, on a case-by-case basis, the following may be released:

Name

Address

Telephone number

E-mail address

Enrollment status

Major

Degrees & awards received

Most recent previous school attended

Any student who does not wish for their directory information to be released must submit the appropriate documentation indicating as such with the Office of the Registrar. Requests for nondisclosure will be honored by Jacksonville University for only one academic year; therefore, authorization to withhold directory information must be filed annually in the Office of the Registrar.