Privacy and Student Rights
FERPA/Privacy Policy
Student Privacy Rights
We understand the tremendous importance of the role parents and other supportive family members play in the lives and success of our students. Our students tell us that parents and family are one of the biggest influencers on both their decisions to attend UWEC, and in their ultimate success as a Blugold. With that understanding in mind, we strive daily to equip those vital supporters with the information they need to best help their students reach their goals, while maintaining legal privacy rights.
Student and families should become familiar with the laws related to these privacy matters, which are known as FERPA - the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
Students should also have a good understanding of the campus statement of privacy matters called Your Rights as a Student (PDF).
As a campus resource, we have a FERPA brochure available. The FERPA brochure is a tool to educate the campus community regarding student privacy rights and responsibilities.
A Guide for Faculty and Staff: Student Privacy Rights and Responsibilities (PDF)
Third party access to your information
Sometimes students are alarmed to find out that their campus email may be obtained by outside organizations, especially in election years. While it might be irritating, it has everything to do with public colleges and open records laws. UW-Eau Claire must provide contact information to third parties if they request it. Not too many organizations take the time to make that official request, but it happens on occasion. If you wish to limit the information you receive from third parties, learn how to manage your information.
UW-Eau Claire Statement on Confidentiality and the Use of Student Records
Electronic technology enables the University to provide expanded information services to students and faculty. The accessibility of this information necessitates an understanding of and adherence to Federal, State, and University rules and policies on the confidentiality and use of student records by users. The University will take prompt remedial or disciplinary action against individuals who are found to have violated this policy. This statement encompasses rules and practices under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Buckley), the Wisconsin Open Records Act, the UW-Eau Claire Student Records Policy, and prohibits unauthorized disclosure or alteration of student information or records and misuse of computer access.
UW-Eau Claire annually informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) via an email notification. This federal law and the regulations promulgated by the Department of Education protects the privacy of educational records, establishes the rights of students to inspect and review their educational records and provides guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings.
FERPA NOTICE - Take Responsibility for Student Records Confidentiality
Education Records are defined as records, files, communications and other materials in any recorded medium that relate directly to a student and are maintained by UW - Eau Claire. These records include but are not limited to: academic records, financial records, disabilities information, counseling documentation and instructional progress. Health records that are shared with counselors or staff of UW - Eau Claire for instructional or counseling purposes are classified as student records by FERPA.
Access to Student Education Records - Designated University Officials/Legitimate Educational Need Defined
Designated UW-Eau Claire officials that have a legitimate educational need to access students education records, if that information is required for that person in order to perform a job or service for the University.
Professors, advisors, administrative staff of the University, contractors; consultants; volunteers; or others providing services, or state education authorities or acting for the University frequently need to view student records in order to perform their jobs professionally and responsibly. These people have access to certain student information without written consent from the student. University officials are expected to use student information responsibly and safeguard against its exposure to non-officials. All third party vendors sign agreements with the University to protect any private information that they have access to.
FERPA allows for the release of specified items of information not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. UW-Eau Claire, in accordance with FERPA, has designated the following categories of information about individual students as directory (public) information. This information will be released to any inquirer unless the student specifically submits a Student Directory Information Restriction Request Form (E-Form).
All data requests for directory information for internal and external organizations are required to be processed by the Records and Registration Office per the Wisconsin's public records law.
- Name
- Address(es)
- Phone numbers
- Campus email address (username)
- Major and minors
- Dates of attendance
- Classification (e.g., sophomore, senior, graduate student)
- Enrollment status (full/part-time)
- Degrees
- Dates of graduation, including anticipated graduation dates
- Awards and academic honors
- Most recent previous institution attended
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Athletes' weight/height
Non-directory information (private records) are items which are considered private, or protected, and cannot be identified as directory information. Such information includes a student's social security number, race, religion, national origin, gender, grades, and GPA. Circumstances where personally identifiable information may be released without prior written consent are outlined below.
Personally identifiable information such as a student's social security number, grades and GPA, class schedules, and transcripts are not available to any third party without the student's written consent unless they are a designated UW-Eau Claire official with legitimate educational interest or as designated below in the section "Release of Personally Identifiable Information to Other Colleges and Universities".
Students have the right to restrict the release of some or all of their directory information.
- Phone Number(s) Only - restricts release of all phone numbers
- Address(es) Only - restricts release of student's physical address
- All Academic and Biographical Information** - restricts release of all directory information
**Please note: Choosing to restrict All Academic and Biographical Information will result in the University not being able to verify enrollment/graduation data to prospective employers, other institutions, and/or newspapers. Also, your name and username will be unavailable in the Campus Directory online and Outlook Address Book (campus email), the result being users (including instructors) cannot readily email you without using your entire email address (e.i., username@uwec.edu).
Students must submit the Student Directory Information Restriction Request Form (E-Form). The restrictions will remain in effect until you revoke the restriction by using the same form.
Students should consider very carefully the consequences of restricting the release of all Academic and Biographical Information. Restriction of all Academic and Biographical Information will result in any future requests for such information from non-university parties or organizations to be refused.
- To authorized representatives of federal, state, and local educational authorities.
- In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received.
- To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense. (Only the final results of the disciplinary proceeding, regardless of whether the post-secondary institution concluded that a violation was committed.)
- To anyone if the disclosure is in connection with a disciplinary proceeding at a post-secondary institution if it determines that the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and with respect to the allegation against him or her the student has committed a violation of the institution's rules or policies.
- To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the institution.
- To accrediting organizations.
- To parents of a dependent student.
- To comply with a lawful subpoena or court order, including ex parte orders under the USA Patriot Act. (reasonable effort to notify).
- In connection with a health or safety emergency.
- To schools in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
Release of Personally Identifiable Information to Other Colleges and Universities
Should a UW-Eau Claire student seek to enroll in another college or university to complete a course or degree, UW-Eau Claire may share personally identifiable data with that college or university's education officials without the student's prior approval. UW-Eau Claire maintains a record of all releases of student records. A student may request to view a copy of what was shared with the other college/university by contacting the Blugold Central at 715-836-3000.
Release of Personally Identifiable Information to High Schools
Should a high school student enroll in courses at UW-Eau Claire, we will forward education records to high schools that have requested the records in which the student is already enrolled as long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student's enrollment.
Parents and other support networks
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire understands the important role that parents and guardians play in the lives and success of our students, and we work hard to respond to concerns, questions and suggestions. Within the limits of UW System policy, federal and state laws, we will share all the information we can. This includes the ways in which students are able to grant further access to parents and guardians for levels of information protected by privacy laws.
Rights and responsibilities
While parents understandably have a vested interest in the academic, financial and personal lives of their Blugold students, these adult students have legally granted privacy rights that prevail in all of our campus procedures and processes. From grades and schedules to billing and payment information, these records belong to the student and the student alone, which can be tough to swallow as the parent who may be paying the bill for this education — we get it.
While these are the laws, it simply means that in order to gain access to online or other information about these topics, students must complete the process of granting official access to the designated individuals by completing the delegated access process.
Grades, schedules, and transcripts
Grades and schedules will be available to view in CampS. Here you'll also be able to request a transcript. If your parents are interested in obtaining access to view your grades, please complete the delegated access process.
Billing statements
Blugold Central oversees the billing of tuition and fees. Email notifications will be sent to view billing information in CampS.
Enrollment verificatioin
Frequently parents are required to provide information to an insurance company as proof of enrollment or academic status.
Students can obtain enrollment verification at no charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through National Student Clearinghouse. Students can go to MyBlugold CampS, select Student Center and then My Academics. On the My Academics page select the link for an Enrollment Verification and follow the instructions from there. This service is provided free of charge to UWEC students through the National Student Clearinghouse. We are unable to verify future dates of enrollment.
If for some reason the form provided via MyBlugold is not adequate for the verification you need, please contact Blugold Central at 715-836-3000 to obtain this information or send an email to verifications@uwec.edu. Often, the insurance company requires a form to be completed and then forwarded. These forms should be mailed to the Blugold Central:
Blugold Central
Attn: Verifications
105 Garfield Ave.
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Special circumstances and emergencies
When special circumstances or emergencies require reaching a student, contact the Dean of Students Office at 715-836-5626.
Parent and Guest Access
Students have the ability to grant permission for a parent or guest to access specific student account information including contact information, emergency contacts, bills, financial aid, grades, holds, and to do lists. A student may revoke access to a parent/guest at any time, without notice to the parent/guest.
Share Access to Your Student Account
Give your parent/guardian or other trusted person delegated access to your UWEC CampS student account.
Student Steps for Granting Delegated Access
Parent Delegated Account Access