FERPA stands for "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act". Clemson University is a public institution and must comply with the terms of FERPA. Primarily, FERPA protects students’ rights regarding their educational records. FERPA is not a new law; it was originally passed by Congress in 1974.
Do parents or guardians have any rights under FERPA? At the university level, students hold and exercise the rights under FERPA. Parents or guardians have no inherent right to inspect their child’s education records; these records include the student's academic progress and grades. In general, records may only be released to parents or guardians under the following circumstances:
- With the written consent of the student.
- In compliance with a properly issued subpoena.
- Upon submission of evidence that the parents declare the student as a dependent on the parent's most recent Federal Income Tax form.
If a parent or guardian does not have confirmation of one of the three circumstances noted above, it is best that the student should make the request for information or the student must provide consent to disclose the information in writing.
Students can authorize the University to provide educational records to anyone they choose –parents, spouse, family, or even a friend. Students can grant access to their educational records by completing an Authorization to Release Student Information form. Student should contact their academic advisor to complete and submit the form.
You can learn more about FERPA at Clemson HERE.
Skip past news feed