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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a Federal law designed to protect the privacy of a student's education records. The law applies to all schools which receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
For more information about confidentiality of student records at the University, click here.
In 1998, changes in the law that governs the privacy of student records, FERPA permitted colleges and universities to inform the parents/guardians of students under the age of 21 when they determined the student violated University alcohol and drug policies. We at the University of South Carolina Aiken believe such notification can help us in educating our students. While we constantly strive to educate and empower students to make more responsible decisions about drug and alcohol usage, we know that the support of parents/guardians in this process is critical.
The University of South Carolina Aiken typically exercises its right to notify parents/guardians of students under 21 in the following situations:
- Cases involving drug violations
- Repeat or serious alcohol violations
The University also reserves the right to notify parents/guardians for first alcohol violations if deemed appropriate.
