UB faculty and staff are responsible for abiding by FERPA (Family Education Rights Protection Act) regulations in regards to student records and information. University at Buffalo faculty and staff may only release certain student information to third parties in certain circumstances.
As a post-secondary school accepting federal funding, UB is required to uphold FERPA guidelines, which protect students’ private information, and provide them with rights to review and request corrections to their records.
Because faculty and staff are responsible for taking measures to protect student information, they should familiarize themselves with the information on this page, as well as these guidelines:
Faculty and staff should always check Student Services Center in HUB before providing directory information to a third party.
If the student has a window shade icon, then they have submitted a Request for Directory Information Release/Non-Release form to prevent the release of their directory information (FERPA Block), and we are not allowed to provide any information to third parties, including whether or not the person attends the university.
A third party is anyone other than the student or a UB employee who is requesting the information for legitimate academic needs. Third parties would include parents, friends, spouses, prospective employers, and other students, etc. If a student submits a FERPA Release Form, we may discuss with the individual(s) identified in that form any student information as we would with the student themself.
Unless otherwise notified in writing, the University at Buffalo may release the following directory information upon request: student name (both preferred/chosen and legal), current address, telephone number, email address, major field of study, dates of attendance, student clubs and organizations, athletics team and intramurals and honors, degree and awards received. The university will also publish the student’s name, major field of study and email address in its internet-accessible directory.
Non-directory information refers to any student information not listed above. This includes, but is not limited to, a student’s courses, date of birth, ethnicity, gender, grades, Social Security number, or UB Person Number.
If a current or former student wants to prevent UB from releasing directory information to outside parties (or reverse their decision to prevent release), they must complete the Directory & Information Release / Non-Release form.
Student information can be provided to law enforcement pursuant to an ongoing investigation and/or if the student’s well-being is in question, even if the student has a FERPA block.
It is important that students consider very carefully the consequences of a decision to withhold “directory information.” Should the student select not to authorize release, any and all future requests for contact information from UB persons (on non-essential matters) and from non-institutional persons and organizations (such as scholarship organizations, prospective employers) will be denied.
It is not permissible to release any non-directory information to a third party. Non-directory information refers to any student information not listed above. This includes, but is not limited to, a student’s attendance, courses, photos, date of birth, ethnicity, gender, grades, Social Security number, or UB Person Number.
> Learn more about directory information on the main Registrar website
Students who do not want their information shared can complete and submit the Request for Directory and Information Release/Non-Release form, which will result in a FERPA Block. Faculty and staff are obligated to protect these students’ privacy by not sharing their information with any third party. Even acknowledging that the individual attends the university is a violation.
A student may allow specific individual(s) to discuss their specific academic and/or financial information by completing and submitting the FERPA Information Disclosure Consent Form.
Upon receipt of this completed form:
Student mid-term and end-of-term grades are best shared with students through HUB. Once a faculty member approves mid-term grades and approves and posts final grades in their HUB Faculty Center, students will be able to view the grades in their HUB Student Center. Grades for tests, papers and other projects can be shared securely with students via their UB email address or by speaking with that student privately.
Since grades are not releasable information, it would not be permissible to post (or email to students) a list of student names, Social Security Numbers (partial or complete) or person numbers (partial or complete) with their grades, since the grades, person numbers, and Social Security Numbers would be viewable to other students. Also, if even one student on the list has a FERPA Block, a posting of their name would also constitute a FERPA violation.
Grades should not be left in student mailboxes if mailboxes are accessible to other students.
It is a violation of FERPA to publish student grades using whole or partial identifying numbers that are used for other purposes, such as a UB Person Number or Social Security Number. If numbers are used when posting grades, they must be a unique identifier that is not used for any other purpose.
Student ID photos are not releasable information, and should not be posted anywhere. However, many faculty members find it helpful to print out the three-column photo class list, accessible from the class roster in their Faculty Center, for their own personal use.
To obtain administrative access to HUB, the Handling Data Safely (HDS) Course is required. The HDS Course will review FERPA compliance and the safe use of student information, as well as cover the types of data at the university and the policies that govern the data.