Personal Information and Privacy

Records that are directly related to a student and that are maintained by the University or by a party acting for the University. A record means any information recorded in any way, including, but not limited to, handwriting, print, tape, film, microfilm, microfiche, computerized and/or digitized storage. 

Records described in items 1-5 below are excluded from the category of ''education records,'' therefore, the law does not guarantee the right of student access to the following: 

1. Records created by and kept in the sole possession of an individual staff member that are not revealed to any other individual except to a person who might temporarily substitute for the original staff member. 
2. Medical and psychological records that are maintained only in connection with provision of treatment to the student and that are not available to persons other than those providing treatment except that such records may be personally reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional of the student's choice and with the student's written consent. 
3. Records that contain only information relating to a person after that person is no longer a student at the University. An example would be information collected by the University or the Alumni Association pertaining to the accomplishments of an alumnus/alumna. 
4. Employment records of any person if maintained in the normal course of business and used only for purposes relating to the employment, unless the person is employed at the University only because of status as a student. In such cases, student employment records are education records and are covered by this policy. 
5. Records of the KU Public Safety Office created and maintained by that department for the purpose of law enforcement. 
6. Records that are grades on peer-graded papers, before they are collected and recorded by a teacher. 

The student related directory information is defined by the University of Kansas as:  

• name 
• month and day of birth  
• current address and telephone number 
• permanent address and telephone number 
• e-mail address (In order to protect individual privacy, a student’s email address is not considered “directory information” where requests by non-university organizations for multiple e-mail addresses are made.) 
• level and school 
• major field of study 
• enrollment status (full-time; half-time; less than half-time) 
• dates of attendance 
• degrees, honors, and awards received 
• the most recent previous educational institution attended by the student 
• participation in officially recognized activities and sports (including participation status); and height and weight of members of athletic teams 
• For purposes of official University news releases, or conducting University business and advancement, student photographs and parent name, address, telephone number and e-mail are also defined as directory information. 
• The name(s), position(s), length of service and/or courses taught may be disclosed for student employees.  

Under FERPA and the Student Records Policy the university may release directory information without a student's prior consent, unless the student tells the university not to release this information, by placing an information hold.

Four important details regarding placing an information hold on a student's record:

1. Once an information hold has been applied to the record, the student whose record the hold has been applied to will need to provide photo identification before staff can provide any details about their record. This can be via an official KU email account or in person at the 1502 Building, 1502 Iowa St.  
2. The university receives many inquiries for directory information from a variety of sources inside and outside the institution, including friends, parents, relatives, prospective employers, the news media, honor societies, and other members of the public. An information hold will preclude the release of such information, even to those people.  
3. An information hold applies to all elements of directory information in a student's student record. 
4. Information holds can only be applied to currently enrolled student's accounts. Any information released prior to the placement of the hold cannot be changed.

To release the restriction placed on your directory information complete the Request to Remove Information Hold Form. 

Students may designate a delegate to access authorized areas of their student records. To assign or revoke delegate access, visit the Release access to your student account page.