What is F.E.R.P.A.? Why is it important?

Hello! My name is Patty Tsai. I am the registrar for The Master’s University & Seminary. My staff and I support the academic function of the community in numerous ways, including class registration, grades, transcript requests, degree requirements, graduation progress, athletic and academic eligibility, transfer evaluations, academic policies and procedures, commencement, enrollment verifications, and more. The Office of the Registrar (a.k.a. Registrar’s Office) is located at the front of Vider Hall.

My goal here is to provide you with knowledge so that you can support your student through his or her academic career.

What You Should Know

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records until they are 18 years old or attend a postsecondary institution. Rights given include the right to inspect and review their education records, the right to request to amend their education records, and the right to limit disclosure of personally identifiable information (known as directory information).

When a student turns 18 or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student. What you used to take care of is now their responsibility. Hence, all our communications are addressed to your student. They alone can designate who can have access to their education records. During pre-registration for classes, students can release directory information and grant parents access to financial information. A release for specific academic information must be requested through the Registrar’s Office.

Here are some things to discuss with your students before they start college:

• Do you have grade/performance expectations for your student? How important are grades to you and your family?
• Does your student need academic accommodations for documented diagnoses? How can they be their own advocate?
• What are some important interactions your student might have with the Registrar’s Office? [Hint: registering for classes, grades, progress toward graduation, transcripts (incoming or outgoing), enrollment verification, good student verification for insurance discounts, etc.] We encourage students not to wait until the last minute to deal with such details.
• How much help do your students want with their education records? Should a FERPA Education Release be signed? Parents can access their student’s educational records if the student signs a consent form (Student Consent for Release of Educational Records). While this may seem convenient, it can also convey to students that they are not accountable for their own records.

How You Can Be Involved

Summer has quickly come to an end. WOW Saturday has passed, and you’ve probably returned home from dropping your student off. But I’m also going to encourage you, if you haven’t already, to have the conversation about responsibility and expectations — academic and spiritual. Encourage your students to be proactive, thoughtful, responsible young adults. The TMU community is here to partner with your student during these formative years of their lives, but we need them to be proactive in reaching out and letting us know when they have questions or are confused. We want them to be deliberate in taking ownership of their education.

For more information on FERPA, visit masters.edu/registrar/ferpa or the U.S. Department of Education here.