The US Department of Education encourages parent involvement in their children’s education. While the privacy rights of all parents and adult students are very important, there are clear and straightforward ways under FERPA that institutions can disclose information to parents and keep them involved in the lives of their sons and daughters at school. BHSU follows these federal guidelines and supports faculty interaction with concerned parents. For additional information, please visit their website www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/hottopics/ht-parents-postsecstudents.html.

In brief this law provides that only directory information, as defined in the FERPA legislation will be released to organizations, agencies, or individuals, other than university officials, officials of other schools, certain federal officers, state educational Finance, the Vice President of Student Authorities, accrediting agencies, or in connection with applications for financial aid. A judicial order or subpoena is also grounds for such release. (BOR Policy Manual Section 10.01:12, PL 93-380). Students have two weeks at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters to notify the Office of Student Life to withhold their directory information from published rosters, phone directories, etc. that are available to university personnel and students. This notification appears in the Student Handbook and is advertised on campus at the beginning of the each Fall and Spring semester. Further, the law provides that students have the right to inspect and review their own official university records and the right to a hearing regarding possible inaccurate or misleading data