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3.2 FERPA Directory Information
Policy
Harvard Registrars have developed a set of Common FERPA Directory Information Elements. Individual Harvard Schools may designate some, but need not designate all, of these elements as “directory information” for their students.
Discussion
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that gives students certain rights with respect to their education records, meaning the records describing and documenting students’ work and progress that a school routinely maintains.
Ordinarily, a student must consent to the disclosure of information from his or her education record, though FERPA includes a number of exceptions. One exception relates to “directory information,” a set of elements from a student’s record that, under FERPA, may be made available to the general public. (Examples of other exceptions are described in Section 3.1: FERPA Overview.)
The Registrars of Harvard College and of Harvard’s graduate and professional schools have jointly adopted a set of Common FERPA Directory Information Elements (the “Common List”). Individual Harvard Schools may select any number of elements from the Common List when creating a School-specific definition of “directory information.” However, Schools may not disclose as directory information data elements not included on the Common List.
Because Harvard University’s definition of “directory information” includes all, of the elements on the Common List, requests for directory information received at the University level rather than at the individual Harvard School level may result in disclosure of additional elements.
Students may opt out of public disclosure of directory information by requesting what is known as a “FERPA Block.” (See: Section 3.3: FERPA Block Information.)
Harvard University Common FERPA Directory Information Elements
| FERPA Directory Term |
Definition |
|
Student's name |
The student's current legal name or full name as shown on his or her application for admission. |
|
Address |
The student’s residential address while school is in session, (as provided by the student or the University). |
|
Telephone listing |
A telephone number at which the student may be reached while school is in session (as provided by the student). |
|
Electronic mail address |
An email address at which the student may be reached while school is in session (may be assigned by the school or, in certain cases, provided by the student). |
|
Photograph |
The student’s Harvard University ID photograph. |
|
Date of birth |
The student's date of birth (as provided by the student). |
|
Field of study |
The academic department, degree program or concentration in which the student is enrolled. |
|
Dates of enrollment |
The first and last dates on which the student was enrolled in one or more Harvard schools. |
|
Anticipated or actual date of graduation |
The expected date of the student's graduation or, if the student has already graduated, the actual date of graduation. |
|
Enrollment status |
The student’s enrollment status in the Harvard School (e.g., full-time or part-time, as the School may define either term). |
|
Degrees |
Identification of degree(s) the student has received or is expected to receive from Harvard and date of award or expected award; or notification of student’s non-degree status, as applicable. |
|
Honors and awards received |
List of honors or awards the student received from Harvard. |
|
Prior degrees; recent educational institution(s) attended |
List of degrees previously conferred; list of educational institutions, including high schools and preparatory schools, previously attended by the student, as well as dates of attendance (information provided by the student). |
|
Class year |
Class year upon graduation. |
|
Original class year |
Class year when admitted. |
|
House affiliation |
The student’s undergraduate Harvard House |
|
Weight and height of members of athletic teams |
The weight and height of members of athletic teams. |
|
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports |
List of officially recognized activities or sports in which the student has participated or is participating. |
|
Parents' or guardians' home address & phone numbers |
The home address(es) and phone number(s) of a student's parents or guardians (as provided by the student). |
|
Country of citizenship |
Nation(s) of which the student is a citizen (as provided by the student). |
|
Place of birth |
Location and country of the student’s birth (as provided by the student). |
|
Permanent address & phone number and summer address |
The student's permanent address and phone number (as provided by the student). |
|
Society |
Academic Society affiliation (Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine only). |
|
Network ID |
The primary user ID associated with network login for desktop, network drives, shared file folders, print servers, email and other University resources. N.B.: A student’s HUID number, HUID PIN number, or password credential is not a “Network ID” for these purposes and will not be disclosed as directory information. |