Understanding Student Privacy
An integral link in your student's education, you are a valued member of our college community. And while we understand parental interest in wanting to access certain types of information, BW and other institutions of higher education that receive federal funding are guided by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which grants confidentiality to students over the age of 18 in all areas of their academic, health and private lives.
Under FERPA, college students are considered responsible adults who can determine the release of information about themselves. Within its content, FERPA states that access to a student's record should be granted with their approval. Accordingly, BW does not routinely give out information concerning a student without written release by the student.
While this practice has the potential to be frustrating at times, it should be viewed in the context in which it was instituted. At BW, FERPA-related policies are not meant to reduce parent involvement, but to protect student confidentiality within the realm of encouraging parent-student dialog about issues relating to college life. For detailed information, please visit the BW FERPA web page. Below is some quick-answer information.
Common Questions About FERPA Include:
How
Can
I
Obtain
a
Copy
of
My
Student's
Grades?
Students
access
their
grades,
financial
aid
and
other
important
college-related
materials
online
via
their
student
accounts.
Parents
can
obtain
this
information
by
talking
with
their
students
or
asking
them
to
forward
the
information.
While
BW
staff
members
can
answer
general
questions,
they
cannot
divulge
personal
information
without
student
permission
and
without
proper
identification
of
the
person
making
the
request.
Do
Educational
Records
Include
Medical
and
Counseling
Reports?
Physical
and
mental
health
records
are
covered
under
other
college
policies,
federal
law
and
professional
ethics.
In
general,
professionals
working
in
these
areas
will
not
release
student
information
except
in
emergency
situations.
If
needed,
students
can
choose
to
release
information
from
their
records
to
a
third
party.
What
About
Alcohol
and
Drug
Violations?
Parents
and
legal
guardians
may
be
notified
when
students
under
21
years
of
age
violate
behavioral
policies
regarding
the
use
or
possession
of
alcohol
or
a
controlled
substance.
If
your
student
is
engaged
in
a
disciplinary
procedure
at
BW
and
wants
to
release
information
about
an
incident
to
a
parent/guardian
or
attorney,
the
student
must
complete
a
form
through
the
Office
of
Student
Conduct.
Who
Can
View
Student
Records?
Under
FERPA,
students
can
inspect,
review
and
amend
their
educational
records
as
is
deemed
necessary.
In
addition,
they
can
control
access
to
their
educational
records
that
are
maintained
by
an
educational
institution.
What
About
Parents
and
Other
Individuals?
Parents
who
can
prove
financial
dependency
of
a
student
have
a
legal
right
to
view
content.
Other
individuals
who
may
be
able
to
see
your
student's
information
include:
BW
staff
members
who
have
good
cause,
staff
members
of
other
schools
where
your
student
is
enrolled,
providers
of
federal/state
aid
for
which
a
student
has
applied,
accreditation
organizations,
personnel
dealing
with
an
emergency
involving
the
well
being
of
a
student,
administrators
of
student
aid
programs
collecting
data
for
research
purposes
affecting
student
aid,
and
courts
of
law.