The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that colleges and universities, with certain exceptions, obtain a student’s written consent prior to disclosure of personally identifiable information. However, institutions may (not must) disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless the university has been advised by the student that he/she does not wish to have his/her directory information released.¹

Directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can, but is not required to be disclosed to outside organizations without the student’s written permission.

Slippery Rock University is committed to maintaining the privacy of its students’ records and therefore also limits its release of Directory Information for official University purposes only.

Slippery Rock will not release Directory Information for solicitation purposes to 3rd parties from outside the university. This includes outside vendors, businesses and organizations unless the university has entered into a contract or agreement with the organization to supply specific service to the university or its students that requires the use of this information.

The Director of Academic Records also carefully screens the release of Directory Information to parties within the university to assure that its students only receive correspondence related to the academic and social missions of the institution.

Slippery Rock University hereby designates the following student information as “directory information.” Such information may be disclosed without a student’s previous consent by the institution for any purpose, at its discretion with the exceptions noted below:

1. Name
2. Addresses (local, permanent, and email)
3. Telephone number (local, cell and permanent)
4. Date and place of birth
5. Program and concentration(s) and minor(s)
6. Student activities, including athletics
7. Weight, height (athletic teams)
8. Dates of attendance
9. Degrees and awards received
10. Date of graduation
11. All educational institutions previously attended
12. Academic awards/scholarships
13. Title of master thesis
14. Number of credits (full- or part-time) for which a student is registered
15. Pictures of students
16. Class level
17. Anticipated graduation date
18. Student ID number used to communicate in electronic systems that cannot be used to access education records without a PIN, password, etc.

¹

As noted above, currently enrolled students have the opportunity to withhold disclosure of all 18 categories of information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The University will not partially withhold this information, so students are advised to think carefully before requesting non-disclosure. To withhold disclosure, written notification must be received in the Office of Academic Records and Registration, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pa. 16057 prior to the end of the second week of each semester/summer session. Forms requesting the withholding of “directory information” are available online or in the office of:

Academic Records and Registration
Room 107, Old Main
(724) 738-2010
academic.records@sru.edu

Slippery Rock University assumes that failure on the part of any student to specifically request the withholding of “directory information” indicates individual approval for disclosures. Former students and alumni are not covered under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  As such, the University is not obligated to honor requests for non-disclosure of “directory information” from former students.

Note: Students requesting that “directory information” not be disclosed during their final semester of enrollment will have this information withheld indefinitely after leaving the University. Students are cautioned that making such a request may adversely impact future requests from potential employers, and other important individuals/organizations.