Rights & Privacy

As parents and family members you have a vested interest in how your student is performing academically, if your student has gotten into any "trouble" on campus, or what their class schedule might be to see their academic progress. Unfortunately those details cannot always be provided to those other then the student themselves due to the rights of a student under the Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment. While there are exceptions to keeping this information private, the student, recognized as a matriculated student at UC San Diego is protected from their private information being shared publicly.

What this means for you as a parent or family member is that your student's protected information will not be as readily available as maybe it was in high school. The information below details what information is kept private, what constitutes public information, and essentially, what FERPA is in the higher education environment. For more information, see the Department of Education web site, UCSD PPM 160-2 (the policy that details how FERPA actualizes in the UCSD community), or email parents@ucsd.edu.

Students are sent the following notification annually detailing their rights under UCSD PPM 160-2 and FERPA.

Notice to Students of Their Privacy Rights Under UCSD PPM 160-2 and FERPA

In accordance with the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and UCSD PPM 160-2, the campus procedures implementing the University of California policies which apply to the Disclosure of Information for student records, matriculated students at the UC San Diego campus have the right to:

1. Refuse to permit any or all of the categories of personally identifiable information to be designated as directory information with respect to themselves;

2. Inspect and review the student's own records;

3. Request correction of the student's own records;

4. Grieve an alleged violation of privacy rights, as specified in this policy;

5. Have personally identifiable information contained in student records not be disclosed without a signed and dated written consent that specifically identifies:

a. The records to be disclosed,

b. The purpose of the disclosure, and

6. The party or class to whom disclosures are to be made. Consent is not required for those disclosures authorized by sections VIII and IX of PPM 160-2;

7. File with the United States Department of Education a complaint concerning alleged failures by UC San Diego to comply with the requirements of FERPA;

8. Be informed where copies of student records policies are located and obtain a copy.

Directory or Public Information

The following has been designated by UC San Diego as "directory information:" a student's name, address (local and/or permanent), e-mail address, telephone numbers, date and place of birth, major fields of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (e.g., paid or unpaid enrollment, undergraduate, full-time, or part-time), number of course units in which enrolled, degrees and honors received, the most recent previous educational institution attended, participation in officially recognized activities, including intercollegiate athletics, and the name, weight, and height of participants on intercollegiate UC San Diego athletic teams.

The following section is adapted from the Department of Education and is meant to be a "generic" statement to describe FERPA. Additional or different regulations may apply as dictated by the UC San Diego policy PPM 160-2.

Notification of Rights Under FERPA for Postsecondary Institutions

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. The following details the rights of the student regarding their educational records:

1. The right to inspect and review their own education records within forty-five days of the day UC San Diego receives the student's written request.

Students should submit written requests that identify the record(s)  the student wishes to inspect. The UC San Diego official to whom the request was submitted will notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request amendments of the education record(s) that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. The request may be submitted in writing to the UC San Diego official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the UC San Diego official decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, that official will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of the procedures to appeal the denial.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosures to UC San Diego or UC officials with legitimate educational interests. A UC San Diego or UC official is a person employed by UC San Diego or UC in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position; a person or company with whom UC San Diego or UC has contracted (such as attorney, auditor, or collection agent); or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A UC San Diego or UC official has a legitimate educational interest if any of the following are true:

a. If the information requested is relevant and necessary for the official to perform a task;

b. If the information is necessary for employment responsibility;

c. If the information will assist in performing a task related specifically to the official's participation in the student's education or perform a task that is related specifically to the discipline of the student;

d. If the individual provides a service or benefit to the student, or the student's family.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by UC San Diego to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605

Questions about these rights or any other aspect of student records management by UC San Diego officials may be referred to the Director, Student Policies and Judicial Affairs by visiting Student Services Center 510, by calling (858) 534-6225, or by e-mailing at judicialaffairs@ucsd.edu.

The text of FERPA may be found in the government documents section of the UC San Diego Geisel Library. Copies of the UC San Diego student records policy, PPM 160-2, may be accessed electronically at http://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/ppm/docs/160-2.html.