Drew University

FERPA Privacy Policy

The (HIPAA Privacy Policy immediately follows FERPA in this document)

Privacy Policy for Student and Family Records

Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. Federal legislation governs how colleges and universities supervise student records. The Family Educational and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, requires that schools notify students and parents of Drew University’s method for complying with the law’s requirements. FERPA assures access by students to their official records, permits student review of those records for accuracy, guarantees use of the records only for legitimate educational purposes, and controls release of records.

Release of Protected Information

The law permits the release of most records, without the prior consent of the student, to agencies acting on behalf of the federal or state Department of Education, to law enforcement agencies or third parties upon subpoena, to parents if the student is financially dependent (as defined by the Internal Revenue Service), or to appropriate university personnel. University employees must demonstrate a legitimate educational interest to request protected information, as opposed to personal or private interest, and such a determination will be made on a case by case basis. In the case of a subpoena, the university may only withhold records seven working days after notifying the student of the subpoena.

Release of Information to Students and Parents

The law does not permit Drew University to presume that all undergraduates are dependents. All students enrolled in the Graduate and Theological Schools are independent under the law. Thus, grades are mailed directly to students at the student’s permanent or forwarding address (unless the student resides on campus during the January Term, in which case the grades are sent to the campus mailbox). In addition, information regarding academic progress is not automatically released to the parents of college of liberal arts students. Parents of undergraduates receive a separate set of grades and or information in reference to academic progress only upon the student’s signing of a grade and academic progress release form; such releases remain in effect throughout a student’s college career at Drew or until notification to the contrary. Release forms are mailed to new students before a student enrolls in classes. Parents may also receive grades and academic progress information upon documentation of the student’s dependency (submission to the Office of the Registrar of IRS Form 1040 or 1040A). In the case of divorced parents, non-custodial parents of undergraduates are not automatically entitled to a student’s records, including student or custodial-parent financial information or student grades, unless a written release has been filed with the appropriate office. A student may at any time request in writing that his or her student records be released to non-custodial parents.

Records Maintained

Drew University maintains the permanent record in the Office of the Registrar. The permanent record includes the transcript, copies of applications for special programs (e.g., study abroad) or special requests (e.g., leaves of absence), and copies of official correspondence from or to deans and other Drew administrators. A similar file, with the addition of records of disciplinary action, is maintained for undergraduate students in the Office of the Dean of Student Life. For Graduate and Theological School students, records on disciplinary actions may reside with the dean of the school. Some quantifiable information from the permanent file is stored in the university’s computer. The permanent file is available to faculty and administrators who have valid educational reasons for reviewing it. Student records are also kept with the following offices or persons:

  1. The University Health Center
  2. The Career Planning and Placement Office (if student has established a file there)
  3. Academic advisers
  4. Office of Financial Assistance (if student has applied for aid)
  5. The Business Office
  6. The Office of Residence Life (housing contracts and applications)
  7. Educational Opportunity Scholars (if student is enrolled through the EOS program)
  8. The University Library

Students requesting to inspect his/her records must to so in writing to the office in question. The university must grant access to the student within 45 days of the original request.

Revisions in FERPA stipulate that Health Center records are not available for review by parents. Instead, students may request a review by an appropriate professional of their choice. Letters solicited for the Career Planning and Placement Office on a confidential basis are kept confidential. The Business Office can make available a statement of the student’s account upon request by the student. The Financial Aid Form of a dependent student’s family is available for examination by the student in the Office of Financial Assistance and is withheld from the dependent student only if a parent makes such a request in writing to the university director of financial assistance.

Release of Directory Information

Most information contained in any of these records may be released outside Drew University only with the consent of the student. Copies of letters sent to students indicating formal actions of the Academic Standing Committee affecting academic status and official actions in social disciplinary cases, including the statement of charges and their disposition, will be sent only to students. Under FERPA provisions, Drew University reserves the right to make public at its discretion, without prior authorization, the following directory information: name; class; campus mail box; e-mail address; Drew University telephone extension; home telephone number; address; major field of study; hometown and state; dates of attendance at Drew University; degrees from Drew University; academic, extracurricular, and athletic honors and awards received; height and weight for members of athletic teams; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; the previous educational institution most recently attended; or other similar information. Any student unwilling to have any or all of this information released at the university’s discretion without prior consent must notify, in writing, both the Dean of Student Life and the University Registrar by the date of registration for the fall semester. In the case of a student’s failure to submit such written restraint, Drew University assumes that release of directory information is appropriate.

Posting of Grades by Faculty

Drew University prohibits the use of any coding system or other methods for the public posting of grades (i.e. Student’s name, identification number, social security number, etc.). Drew’s privacy policy also prohibits the public accessibility of students’ graded examinations, papers, etc.

Suspected Inaccuracies in Files

Students should bring suspected inaccuracies in any files to the attention of the appropriate department head (e.g., university registrar, director of health services, university director of financial assistance, etc.). Disagreement over the accuracy of data in a student file should be taken to the dean of student life. Cases involving disagreements about university data and records are heard by a committee convened by the chair of the council of deans. If the committee rules against a student’s appeal, the student may place a statement in the permanent file challenging the accuracy of information in that file or further explaining the data. If a student believes that Drew University has not adequately redressed a grievance, the student may file an appeal with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, Washington, DC 20202.

Record of Disclosure to Third Parties

Whenever non-directory information is disclosed to third parties, university offices maintain a record of such disclosure as long as the record to which it pertains is maintained. The record of disclosure indicates the third parties who request information and the legitimate interest those parties have for the request. If a student wishes to authorize release of information from his or her educational records, such authorization must be in writing and must specify the records to be disclosed, the purpose of the disclosure, and the parties to whom disclosure is to be made.

Record Retention

University records are subject to a record-retention policy pursuant to which all records except the transcript, letters regarding academic status (e.g., probation, required leaves of absence), and special requests (e.g., leaves of absence) are destroyed after five (5) years. Details about records maintenance are available from the Office of the Registrar or the Office of the Dean of Student Life.

Copies of Transcripts

Students may obtain copies of their academic transcript upon request and upon payment of any incidental fees for copying. For students entering Drew prior to the Fall 1994 semester, certified copies of an academic transcript cost $5.00 a copy for every copy after the first request; there is no charge for the first copy. Students entering Drew in the Fall 1994 semester and thereafter pay a one time fee of $25.00 (included in their tuition cost) for copies of transcripts. However, all students are charged $10.00 for same-day service for transcripts. All transcript fees must be paid in advance of transcript’s release, and no transcripts are released for students or alumni who have any outstanding financial balances with the university.

Additional Privacy Regulations (HIPAA)

The Standards for the Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”) establishes, for the first time, a set of national standards for the protection of certain health information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) issued the Privacy Rule to implement the requirement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). Final modifications of The Privacy Rule were made on August 14, 2002. The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information-called “protected information”.

All members of the Drew University community should maintain the strictest privacy and confidentiality regarding the disclosure of any individual’s “protected health information”. Information should only be released on a “need to know basis” according to the standards of HIPAA. ( For example, any disclosure of a diagnosis can only be done on a “need to know basis” in accordance with the guidelines of HIPAA.)

For additional information regarding disclosure under FERPA or HIPAA, contact the Office of the Registrar or the Office of the Dean of Campus Life and Student Affairs.

Office of the Registrar

Revised: October 2009