This page provides answers to common questions students might have about FERPA at Aims. Click on the links in the sidebar to view the questions and answers for other Registration and Records-related topics.
Understanding FERPA: Protecting Your Student Education Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), codified as 20 U.S.C. § 1232g and 34 CFR Part 99, is a federal law that safeguards the privacy of student education records.
This Act grants eligible students five fundamental rights regarding their education records.
- The right to inspect and review the information maintained by the institution.
- The right to request an amendment to those records and, in certain cases, to append a statement if an amendment is denied.
- The right to consent to the disclosure of their personally identifiable information from their records, with certain exceptions.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with FERPA.
- The right to participate in a hearing if a request to amend a record is denied.
FERPA strictly prohibits departments such as Financial Aid, Registration & Records, the Cashiers Office and all other departments on campus from releasing specific student educational information without the student's written permission. This means that parents, guardians, spouses, and other third parties cannot access a student's education records, including account information, unless the student has formally granted access through the Friends and Family feature in Workday.
For additional details regarding FERPA, please visit the official U.S. Department of Education website or review Aims Community College's annual FERPA notification, which is sent to all active Aims students each fall and spring semester.
Student FERPA FAQ
1. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protecting Sensitive Information
For more information on what falls under personally identifiable information and guidance on protecting your sensitive information, please visit our Protecting Sensitive Information page.
2. When Do FERPA Rights Begin?
A student's FERPA rights begin when they are considered "in attendance" as defined by the institution.
At Aims Community College, a student is considered "in attendance" on the first day for which they are officially registered for a course.
FERPA rights begin when a student reaches age 18 or enrolls in a higher education institution, whichever comes first.
3. What are Students' Rights Under FERPA?
FERPA grants eligible students the right to:
- Inspect and review their education records maintained by Aims Community College.
- Request that Aims correct records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. If Aims decides not to amend the record, the student has the right to a formal hearing. Should Aims still decide not to amend the record after the hearing, the student has the right to place a statement with the record outlining their view about the contested information.
- Have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from their education records.
- File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education regarding alleged FERPA violations.
4. What does FERPA cover?
FERPA applies to "education records," which encompass all information the college maintains about you in any medium. Education records may include details about your academic, financial, activity or disciplinary history.
Please note: Medical and personal counseling records are protected under separate regulations and professional guidelines, not directly by FERPA.
5. What Qualifies as an "Education Record"? What Does Not?
"Education records" ARE records that are:
- Directly related to a student.
- Maintained by the institution or by a party acting on behalf of the institution.
The term "education records" DOES NOT include the following:
- Records of instructional, supervisory or administrative personnel and certain educational information that are in the sole possession of the maker, and are not accessible or revealed to any other individual.
- Records maintained by a law enforcement unit of the educational agency or institution that were created by that unit for the purpose of law enforcement.
- Records relating to individuals employed by the institution that are made and maintained in the normal course of business, relate exclusively to the individuals in their capacity as employees and are not used for any other purpose. (Note: Records of individuals employed as a result of their status as students, such as work-study students, ARE considered education records.)
- Records related to students that are:
- Created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional, acting in their professional or paraprofessional capacity.
- Used solely in connection with the provision of treatment to the student.
- Not disclosed to anyone other than individuals providing such treatment.
6. What Student Information Can Be Released?
Aims Community College may release the following information without student consent under specific conditions:
Directory Information (as defined by the institution).
- Information for which the student has provided written consent to release.
- Information required by employees who have a legitimate educational interest.
- Information required by certain State and/or Federal government agencies.
7. Who is a "School Official" with a "Legitimate Educational Interest"?
- School Official: A school official is defined as a person employed by Aims Community College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official may also include a volunteer or contractor outside of Aims Community College who performs an institutional service or function that the school would otherwise use its own employees for, and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records (e.g., an attorney, auditor, collection agent, or a student volunteering to assist another school official).
- Legitimate Educational Interest: A school official has a legitimate educational interest if they need to review an education record to fulfill their professional responsibilities for Aims Community College.
8. Can My Parents Call About My Educational Records?
When a student reaches 18 years of age or enrolls in a post-secondary institution, they become an "eligible student," and all rights under FERPA transfer from the parent to the student.
Therefore, at the post-secondary level, parents have no inherent right to inspect a student's education record, and the right to inspect is limited solely to the student. Records may be released to a parent only under the following specific circumstances:
- Through the written consent of the student.
- In compliance with a subpoena.
- By submission of evidence that the parents declare the student as a dependent on their most recent Federal Income Tax return (IRS Code of 1954, Section 152).
- Under the Alcohol and Controlled Substance exception or in connection with a health and safety emergency under the circumstances set forth in § 99.36 (if the student is under 21 years of age).
9. At What Age Do My FERPA Rights Begin?
FERPA rights begin when a student reaches age 18 or enrolls in a higher education institution, whichever comes first. (Reiterated for emphasis as this was asked twice).
10. When Do FERPA Rights End?
A student's FERPA rights generally end at death. However, education records may be released at the discretion of the college.
11. Does FERPA Apply if I'm a Concurrent Student?
Yes, FERPA applies to any student registered for courses at Aims Community College, regardless of location or age.
12. Are There Exceptions to FERPA (When Information May Be Disclosed Without Consent)?
Per The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), there are specific circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) may be accessed without your consent.
For example:
- The U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a federal or state authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program or to researchers performing certain types of studies, even if the university objects to or does not request such research. Federal and state authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities they authorize to receive your PII, but the authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities.
- In connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, state authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records. They may also track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you obtained from other federal or state data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.
Additionally, FERPA allows the institution the right to disclose education records or identifiable information to individuals/entities without your consent under the following circumstances:
- Authorized representatives for the audit of federal- or state-supported programs.
- University officials carrying out their specifically assigned educational or administrative responsibilities. This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, and other outside providers used by Aims Community College, such as the Aims Community College Foundation and the National Student Clearinghouse.
- Veteran's Administration officials.
- Officials of other institutions at which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
- Persons or organizations providing financial aid to students.
- Organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions to develop, validate, and administer predictive tests, to administer student aid programs, or to improve instruction, provided that the individual identity of students is not made public.
- Accrediting organizations carrying out their accrediting functions.
- Parents of a student who have established the student's status as a dependent according to Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Section 152; in connection with a health and safety emergency as set forth in § 99.36; or if the student is under 21 and has violated a federal, state, or local law or a policy of the university related to the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
- Persons in compliance with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena, provided that the institution makes a reasonable attempt to notify the student in advance of compliance. The institution is not required to notify the student if a federal grand jury subpoena, or any other subpoena issued for a law enforcement purpose, orders the institution not to disclose the existence or contents of the subpoena.
- Persons in an emergency, if the knowledge of information is, in fact, necessary to protect the health or safety of students or other persons.
- An alleged victim of a crime of violence regarding the results of any institutional disciplinary proceeding against the alleged perpetrator. Information may only be given in respect to the crime committed.
- Outside contractors when identified as a "party acting for" the institution and performing a service which the institution would otherwise have to perform for itself (e.g., the National Student Loan Clearinghouse for loan verification).
- The Attorney General of the United States or the Attorney General's designee in response to an ex parte order in connection with the investigation or prosecution of terrorism crimes, under the US Patriot Act.
In addition, FERPA allows for:
- The return of an education record, or information from an education record, to the party identified as the provider or creator of the record.
- The release of education record and PII information regarding a registered sex offender's enrollment or employment status, or any changes to such status.
- The release of education record and PII information to appropriate parties if the school determines that there is an articulable and significant threat to the health and safety of a student or other individuals.
Specific legislation may be found at the U.S. Department of Education website.
13. Parents' Guide to FERPA
Link to Parents' Guide to Rights Under FERPA
14. Inspection & Amendment Rights
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students who have attended a post-secondary institution the right to inspect and review information in their education record and to request amendment of their education record. Detailed information about inspection and amendment procedures can be found in the annual notification.
15. Can I call Aims to discuss my student record via phone?
Services provided over the phone may be limited if we are unable to fully verify your identity. For most actions, students must use their Workday account for tasks such as registering for courses (adding, dropping, withdrawing), viewing their bill, accessing grades, checking for holds, ordering transcripts, and more.
16. Can I email Aims to discuss my student record?
Once admitted, all students must use their official Aims.edu email account for any discussions related to their student record. Aims Community College is unable to send information to personal email accounts to ensure your privacy and compliance with FERPA.
17. When I come to campus to discuss my academic record with a staff member, do I need to bring anything?
Yes, it is highly recommended to bring a valid photo ID (such as a legal ID or your Aims ID) to any on-campus appointment. This ensures the confidentiality and protection of your student records.
18. Is it okay for me to give my parents, spouse, or a financial sponsor access to my Workday account?
No, your Workday account should only ever be accessed by you.
If your parent, spouse, financial sponsor, or any other friend or family member needs access to certain information, they should either speak to you directly, or you can set them up as a "Friend and Family" in Workday. This process allows them to create their own account with very limited data access, which you control by granting specific permissions. For more information on the "Friends and Family" setup and available permissions, please visit our Workday Resources page.
19. What is Directory Information at Aims?
Directory information is specific student data contained in education records that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Student data not classified as directory information may only be released with proper student consent.
The following data elements are identified as Directory Information by Aims Community College:
- Student Name
- Enrollment Status (e.g., Full-Time, Three-Quarters Time, Half-Time, Less Than Half-Time)
- Dates and Terms of Enrollment at Aims Community College (This does not include individual course attendance).
- Major Fields of Study.
- Degree(s) and/or Certificate(s) Earned.
- Honors or Awards Received.
20. How do I prevent my directory information from being released?
You may prevent the release of your directory information by submitting a request through Workday. For detailed instructions on how to submit a request for non-disclosure of directory information, please visit the Workday Resources page.
21. If I complete a non-disclosure, are there negative consequences to me restricting the release of my directory information?
Yes, opting for non-disclosure of your directory information can have certain consequences:
- Aims Community College will not be able to confirm that you are or have been a student at Aims.
- You will not be able to communicate with faculty or staff over the phone regarding your student record. All communication will need to be in person with a photo ID or via your official Aims.edu email account only.
- You will not be listed in the commencement ceremony program if you are graduating.
- Aims Community College will not be able to confirm your attendance and/or degree/certificate completion with potential employers or other entities.
22. Do faculty members have a right to inspect my education records for any reason?
No, faculty members, while considered "school officials," must still demonstrate a legitimate educational interest in their request to be able to access a student's record. Access is not granted for any reason.
23. Can faculty members post my grades by their office doors or online other than Workday or D2L?
Public posting of grades—whether by student name, Aims ID, or SSN—is a violation of FERPA, regardless of whether it's done via paper or electronic means. Instructors and others who post grades should use Workday and/or D2L only to ensure full compliance with FERPA regulations.