What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that gives protection to student educational records and provides students with certain rights. The law assigns the student as the owner of his/her educational record and provides guidelines on how the educational institution is to use and release protected information.
This ensures that information such as the student’s grades are not public information and that the student controls who has access to this information. This law also requires the educator to grant the students access to their personal records.
What are Students' Rights?
FERPA defines basic rights for students.
- Subject to FERPA exclusions, the right to see the information that the institution is keeping on the student.
- The right to seek amendment to those records and in certain cases append a statement to the record.
- The right to consent to disclosure of his/her records.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.
- The right to obtain a copy of the University of Nebraska at Omaha's Student Records Policy. A copy of the policy is available at the Office of the University Registrar, Eppley Administration Building, Room 105. For information regarding the Student Records Policy, please contact the Office at 402.554.2314.
What Information is Public?
The university is allowed to select some information about a student to make accessible to the public. This information is called "Directory Information."
Public Directory Information is student information that is available to the public.
Non-Public Directory Information is not available to the public, but is available to any University Official or student.
Public Directory Information
- Student name
- Year at the University
- Dates of attendance
- Academic college and major field of study
- Enrollment status (undergraduate or graduate; full-time or part-time)
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Degrees, honors, and awards received
- Most recent educational agency or institution attended
- Hometown
- University email address
Non-Public Directory Information
- Local address
- Permanent address
- Telephone listings
Public Directory information will be available to the public upon request and may be included in student directories published electronically.
What Information is Restricted?
The University of Nebraska is restricted to only providing access to student public directory information. All other information: grades, academic standing, course schedule, etc., are restricted to the student and those to whom the student grants access.