Student Consent to Release Confidential Information

Policy Number: #

Responsible Executive(s):

  • Provost

Responsible Office(s):

  • Office of the Registrar

Date Adopted: 04-06-2020

Date Revised: 01-14-2023

A. Purpose

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the disclosure of information from a student’s educational record is considered confidential and will not be released, with certain exceptions, without the student’s written consent, including state and federal government agencies and their representatives.

B. Scope

  1. This Policy applies to all University Faculty, Staff, Students and parties acting on behalf of the University per signed contract.
  2. FERPA applies to the education records of person who are, or have been, in attendance in post-secondary institutions and any non-traditional educational delivery process, such as online courses.

C. Definitions

  1. FERPA deals specifically with the education records of students, affording them certain rights with respect to those records.
  2. For purposes of definition, education records are those which are 1) directly related to a student and 2) maintained by Regis University or a party acting for the institution.
  3. Information which may be disclosed without student consent include “directory” information including student’s name, address, telephone number, email address, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. Other eligible items approved for distribution without consent: photographs, previous institutions attended, past and present participation in official recognized sports and activities.
  4. Information which may not be disclosed without written permission from the student include, social security number, grades, financial affairs (including student accounts, billing and banking information), financial aid, medical and disciplinary records, meal plans, housing and parking information.
  5. Records containing a student’s name, social security number or other personally identifiable information, in whatever medium, are covered by FERPA.
  6. Proxy is defined as the authority to represent or act for the student.

D. Policy

  1. Regis University must annually notify students currently in attendance of their rights by any means that are likely to be read by students.
  2. Students should be given an option to add a Proxy to their education records. “Proxy Access” provides the opportunity for students to grant access to family members or other designated individuals to view certain information online or to speak with specific departments regarding the student. Students must specify which records they are giving a Proxy access to: Account Activity; Account Summary; Make a Payment; Financial Aid; Satisfactory Academic Progress; Financing Plans; Grades; University Notifications; and Tax Information.
    1. Students must initiate the process through the Ranger Portal and fulfill each step-in order for the designated Proxy to gain access.
    2. Once the steps are completed by the student, the designated Proxy will receive an email including the account has been created and providing the Proxy’s username. A separate email containing the temporary password will be sent to the Proxy’s email to complete the authentication process.
    3. Faculty and Staff can check if a Student has given Proxy access by logging into Colleague and viewing access on screens VPXP and VPXD (see Exhibit A).
      1. If no access has been given, then information should not be disclosed.
    4. In circumstances where the student is unable to grant access through the Ranger Portal, they can complete the paper form at https://www.regis.edu/policies/ferpa.
  3. Any subpoenas, warrants or legal requests will be reviewed by the appropriate office (i.e. Campus Safety, Legal Counsel, Office of the Registrar, etc.) and until verification is completed, no documents will be released. No documents will be released until the above process is followed.
  4. Faculty and Staff should be encouraged to complete the FERPA training offered through the Mineral Resource Catalog through the Human Resource Office annually.

E. Related Policies, Procedures, Forms and Other Resources

Colleague (University SDS) screens. Exhibit A.

F. End Notes

  1. Last reviewed: June 30, 2025

EXHIBIT A
Colleague (University SDS) Screens

Screenshot of Colleague (University SDS) system with note "To check if a student has a proxy please log into Colleague and view access on VPXP: View Proxy Permissions"