FERPA FAQ

What you should know before checking YES.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Cornell University Policy 4.5—Access to Student Information and the related Student Record Privacy Statement—explain how FERPA is implemented at Cornell and it is important for you to be familiar with how this policy protects your educational records and directory information.

Directory information is personal information about a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy and may be released without consent. Cornell University has defined directory information to include a student's name, local address, local telephone listing, email listing, college of enrollment, major field of study, enrollment status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height (if members of athletic teams), dates of attendance, degrees and awards received.

Cornell University does not release or sell directory information to any outside entity for commercial, marketing or solicitation purposes.

What does it mean if I check YES to this box?

• Your name, email address, local address and phone number will NOT appear in the electronic directory, and if this box is checked within 10 days after fall semester registration begins, your information will NOT appear in the Cornell paper directory.
• Your name will NOT appear in the commencement program.
• Your directory information will not be released publicly. This means that verification of enrollment, graduation, or degrees awarded will not be provided to third parties, including potential employers.
• Your directory information will also not be released to honor societies, scholarship programs, and other special programs that are not affiliated with Cornell University.
• This request to suppress directory information will remain in effect until you remove it through JTF.

If you have additional questions, email univreg-mailbox@cornell.edu.