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Office of the University Registrar

FERPA for Staff

An institution may disclose personally identifiable information without the student's written consent to "school officials" the institution has determined to have a "legitimate educational interest."

An institution is not obligated to release directory information to anyone. FERPA only says that an institution MAY release information. When in doubt, do not release information and consult with the Registrar Office.

The privacy rights of an individual expire with that individual's death. Records held by an institution for a deceased person are not a FERPA issue but a matter of institutional policy. Fresno State will exercise its own discretion in deciding if, and under what conditions, information should be disclosed to survivors or third parties.

FERPA does not preclude an institution from identifying students as "school officials" with a "legitimate educational interest" for specific purposes. The same requirements and responsibilities for a full-time school official exist for student workers. Student workers must receive FERPA training just as if they were faculty or staff.

Students have the right to inspect the contents of their student record, regardless of their financial status with the institution. However, an institution is NOT REQUIRED to release an official transcript if the student has a past-due account.

At Fresno State, all subpoenas are first reviewed by the Office of General Counsel or VP Administration to determine the appropriate course of action.

If non-directory information is needed to resolve a crisis or emergency situation, an education institution may release that information if the institution determines that the information is "necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals."

General questions, comments, or suggestions may be directed to the Office of the University Registrar.

Email: fsregistrar@mail.fresnostate.edu
Phone: (559) 278-4743