Annual Reminder: Notification of Your Student Privacy Rights Under FERPA
We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, to all enrolled students.
Dear [first],
As a ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder student, it's important to understand your rights regarding access to and disclosure of information in your education record. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords you the right to:
- Inspect and review your education record
- Request amendment of your education record
- Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information in your education record
- File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education (Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202)
To review or request an amendment to your record, contact the university office that maintains the record. This does not apply to grade changes, which are at faculty discretion.
Release of Information
Under FERPA, the university may release your education record information if the disclosure is:
- To ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder officials who have a legitimate educational interest
- To officials of another institution at which you seek or intend to enroll
- To authorized representatives of federal, state or local educational authorities
- In connection with financial aid you've applied for or received
- To an organization conducting studies for or on behalf of the university
- To your parents or guardians (if you have authorized consent or are a dependent student for tax purposes)
- To an accrediting organization
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
- In connection with a health or safety emergency or other exception under FERPA
- To fulfill a request for data that ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder defines as directory information
Directory information is student data contained in education records that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Student data that is not directory information may only be released with your documented consent, including in letters of recommendation.
To authorize third-party access to your non-directory education record information, see ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä guest access and FERPA consent to release.
You may restrict the release of directory information by placing full privacy on your record. Please note that students on full privacy are not treated differently than other students within the physical or virtual classroom. Their name, image and email address may appear on screen and in the learning management system, and instructors may call on them by name.
Remote & Online Classes
Recordings of lectures or class meetings are considered education records if students' names or likenesses are displayed or disclosed. Instructors may share these recordings with the class, but not with others without documented consent from each student identified in the recording.
Artificial Intelligence
AI development, its uses and tools are rapidly evolving. AI users at ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder should stay current with campus policies and guidance regarding student data privacy, compliance, security and other AI considerations and implications. See Artificial Intelligence at ¶¶ÒõÂÃÐÐÉä Boulder.
Questions may be directed to the Office of the Registrar.
Sincerely,
Kristi Wold-McCormick, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Provost and University Registrar
Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu