terms

Directory Information:

Information not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. This includes, but is not limited to:

Name, address, email address, telephone listing.
Field of study.
Weight & height of athletes
Most recent previous school attended.
Photographs.
Date and place of birth.
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports.
Dates of attendance, degrees, and awards.

Directory information cannot include:

— Student identification numbers
— Social security numbers
— Ethnicity/race/nationality
— Gender

Disclosure:

To permit access to, release, transfer or allow any other type of communication of personally identifiable information contained in education records to any party by any means; including oral, written or electronic communication.

Education Records:

All records which contain information directly related to a student; and are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution.

This term has a very broad scope. Any information which makes student personally identifiable, such as an ID number or home address, is considered an educational record.

Records which fall outside of this defenition include:

Sole possession records.
Records created and maintained by a law enforcement unit for a law enforcement purpose.
Employment records (unless contingent upon attendance).
Medical records made and maintained in connection with treatment and disclosed only to individuals providing treatment.
Records containing information about an individual which is created after he/she is no longer a student at that institution (i.e., alumni records).

Educational Agency:

An entity that administers a school or schools to which it is directly linked.

Educational Institution:

A school or other entity that provides educational services and is attended by students.

Eligible Student:

A student who has attained the age of 18 or has attended an institution of higher education.

Personally Identifiable Information:

Includes, but is not limited to:
The student’s name
Name of the student’s parent or other family members.
Address of the student or student’s family.
A personal identifier, such as a social security number or student number.
A list of personal characteristics or other information that would make student’s identity easily traceable.

Record:

Information maintained in any way…including, but not limited to:

Audio Tape
Computer Media
Film
Handwriting
Microfilm
Microfiche
Print
Video Tape

Sole Possession Record:

Records which are created and maintained by the person generating education records (not in conjunction with the student). These are essentially personal notes or "memory joggers."

School Official:

Defined from institution to institution in its annual notification, a school official may be:

an employee of a college (administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position).
a person elected to the board of trustees.
a company or person employed/contracted by a college to perform a special task (i.e., attorney, auditor, or collection agency).
a person or student serving on an official committee (i.e., disciplinary/grievance, scholorship) or assisting an official in his/her tasks (i.e., work study students).

Student:

Any individual who is or has been in attendance at an institution; and regarding whom the institution maintains educational records.

[See also Eligible Student]