FERPA Privacy Rights

Columbia University strictly follows the privacy regulations outlined in the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, which regulates a wide range of privacy-related activities including the following:

  • management of student records maintained by the University;
  • regulations regarding who has access to student records; and
  • for which purposes access to student records is granted.

The act also allows for the following:

  • The University is permitted to release limited directory information without a student's consent.
  • Students are guaranteed access to their records and may restrict others from such access. These restrictions are also reversible with the student's consent.

 

Student Information and Records

You can update your address and social security number on Vergil. Name changes must be made in person at the Student Service Center. You can also choose to withhold (or release) your directory information by filling out this form and returning it to the Student Service Center in 210 Kent Hall.

Students may request full non-disclosure of their educational records, an action that will prevent the Student Service Center and the Registrar’s Office from releasing information about their enrollment at Columbia to any external units or individuals. Likewise, students already on full non-disclosure status can request that this restriction be removed so that directory information can be provided freely to external requesters. In order to request non-disclosure status or have it disabled, students should write directly to the Registrar’s Office, making sure to indicate their full name, school of enrollment, and the action they would like taken regarding setting of the non-disclosure flag. This letter should be submitted and received by the Registrar’s Office no later than the end of the change of program period.

For additional information regarding access to student records, please consult Essential Policies: Access to Student Records.

Information for Parents

We recognize that parents provide a great deal of financial and emotional support to their children while they are students at Columbia. However, we must balance this recognition with the fact that Columbia students are legally adults and their legal rights must be fully respected, particularly with concern to their privacy rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Common Parent Concerns

The schools of Columbia University do not mail grades to students or to their parents, but rather make them available for students to view online through Vergil, the University’s password-protected information system. Students wishing to share their grades with their parents can submit a request for a transcript through Vergil, which then will be mailed to an address of their choice.

Address, email and phone number information for students is available via the Columbia Directory. Information that your child has not designated as private will be presented to you. 

Columbia transcripts are considered private under FERPA. Therefore, only students may request transcripts. Requests can be made through Vergil or in person at the Office of the Registrar.

An academic certification is an official document provided by the University Registrar verifying dates of attendance, award of degree, and student status (full-time or part-time) by term. Students can request an academic certification either in person or online through Vergil. There is no fee for this service.

Faculty and Staff

The University’s policy on access to student records is guided by the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (sometimes referred to as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment). This policy is reprinted in Essential Policies for the Columbia Community, a compendium of information to help students, faculty, and staff understand the policies and regulations of the University. It regulates the access of students to their educational records at the University and defines the conditions under which the University will grant access or release those records to others. The policy is binding on all University employees, including faculty. Further information on the University’s FERPA policy may be obtained from the Office of the University Registrar.

In general, the University will not release a student’s transcript or other information from or about a student’s educational records without his or her written consent. The policy also provides that students generally may have access to their educational records at the University. Specific exceptions to both of these statements are set forth in the policy.

Access to Student Records

Protecting and safeguarding the educational record is one of the core responsibilities of the Office of the University Registrar.  Given the highly sensitive nature of information in our systems, we maintain a commitment to full compliance with FERPA regulations and to stay current with best practices in student information management. The Office of the University Registrar reviews all access requests to university systems containing student records.

Before accessing student records, faculty and staff  are expected to review FERPA guidelines at: Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)(link is external). Faculty and staff who have access to student records should complete the FERPA training video on ELM(link is external). The Office of the University Registrar is available to assist departments and offices with understanding the requirements of FERPA policy and guidelines. Training may be requested at: mailto:[email protected](link sends e-mail).