Access to Education Records
Families
Families are considered a "third party" and do not have a right to student information and education records, regardless of the student's age.
Discussing General Information
W&M school officials may discuss general information, but not the specifics of a particular student.
As a "rule of thumb" if you have to look a student up in a system (ex: Banner) you are not dealing with general information and should not share.
General information can include topics found on W&M's website, such as:
- Open courses for the upcoming term
- Admissions deadlines and requirements
- Major requirements as defined by the catalog
- The financial aid process, forms and requirements
- How to navigate W&M's website for more information
Any caller requesting information about a student should be directed to:
| Dean of Students Office |
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| University Registrar's Office |
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| University Counsel |
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Click the case study to learn more about families accessing education records.
Case Study: Disclosing Education RecordsShonda is an undergraduate student, majoring in physics. Her parents want to know how Shonda is doing in her major courses, so they call the physics department to find out about her class attendance and midterm grades. How should the physics department respond? The physics department cannot share attendance or grade information with Shonda's family because this information is part of her education record. However, the Dean of Students office is authorized to engage with families, and the physics department should direct Shonda's family to this office. Shonda can file permission with the Dean of Students office, allowing the office to discuss Shonda's academic and student conduct records with her family. Shonda can also grant her family proxy access to view student information in her my.wm account. |
Continue to next section: Protecting Education Records
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