FERPA

FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It is a federal law that protects the privacy of educational records and establishes the rights of students. FERPA aims to ensure the privacy and accuracy of their education records. This law governs what information MSU Denver can disclose, to whom, and under what circumstances.

Transitioning to College

Now that your student is in their college journey, the responsibility for accessing their educational and financial records has shifted directly to them. Your student now has exclusive “ownership” of their records. As you can guess, this transfer of rights can sometimes lead to a lot of frustration for family members and supporters since MSU Denver is prohibited from sharing information with anyone other than the student without prior authorization. 

Let me share an example: you are a family member who wants to be able to discuss the student’s financial information or are a student who wants your family members or supporters to view or discuss information about your education records, but your family member cannot access the same systems as you, even if they are paying the bills.

Due to FERPA, the student will need to grant proxy access to each person they want to share their records with. When students give proxy management access it will allow those individuals who were granted access to view and discuss designated details about their education records. Please note support systems (family or otherwise), whether they have been added as a proxy or not, should never have access to the student’s log in information. 

Once your student has given you proxy access you can access information in the following ways: 

1. Online Access: Utilize your custom link and log in securely to view records. 
2. Phone Access: Use the set passphrase for verification when seeking information over the phone.
3. Email Access: Communicate through the designated email address, ensuring proper identification with a valid photo ID. 
4. In-Person Access: Visit the institution in person, presenting a valid photo ID to access the records. 

For additional details and resources related to FERPA at MSU Denver, please visit the website of the Office of Registrar’s website.   

Conversation Starters

These are ways you might start a conversation with your student about FERPA.

• What do you know about FERPA and how can I support you in understanding what it means for you?
• Now that you’re in college, your educational and financial records are limited to you. How do you want to work together so that I stay informed about your education while also respecting your privacy and independence?

Understanding FERPA is essential for both students and their designated proxies, ensuring a secure and compliant handling of educational records. Let’s see what we learned in Module 1 next.