Under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended (commonly referred to as the “Buckley Amendment”), students and former students at Washington University are given certain rights to access and control over information contained in their educational records.

While most information about a student is considered private and no one outside the University may have access to it without the written consent of the student, certain categories of information designated as “directory information” may be disclosed by the University without obtaining the prior consent of the student. The following items are included in this designation:

  • Full Name
  • Home, local, business, alternate, temporary and e-mail addresses and telephone numbers.
  • Photographic, video, or electronic image (picture)
  • Academic division and major field of study
  • Dates of attendance
  • Previous schools attended
  • Graduation dates and degrees received at Washington University
  • Class (affiliated degree year)
  • Academic Awards
  • Participation in intercollegiate activities
  • Height and weight (NCAA Division III athletes only)

Student directory information is grouped into three categories for the purpose of restriction: name, addresses, and all other items of directory information collectively.

A student may check his/her name to prevent disclosure of any and all information. This will also prevent his/her name from appearing in Ternion (the campus phone book) and the on-line directory, and from being available to the campus telephone operators. PLEASE NOTE: data for Ternion is captured in the FIRST FEW WEEKS of the Fall semester, and so this restriction must be in place at that time in order to prevent publication in the book.

A student may also restrict disclosure of specific addresses and telephone numbers. If a student checks any address or phone number, it will not be included in Ternion or the on-line campus directory or be released by the campus telephone operators (see Ternion note above).

All other items of directory information may be restricted collectively by checking this category. PLEASE NOTE: checking this item may have significant unforeseen implications; for example, the University Registrar may be prevented from verifying a student’s degree for a potential employer without the student’s permission.

Note: information restrictions do NOT block access to one’s educational record by authorized University personnel.