May 1, 2024

Dear Tulane University Students:

I want to take this opportunity to make you aware of Tulane University’s policy regarding student educational rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the federal law that governs release of and access to student educational records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education record within 45 days of the day Tulane University receives a request for access.

2. The right to request an amendment to the education record that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

3. The right to provide written consent before Tulane University discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education record, except to that extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Tulane University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Directory Information

Under FERPA, directory information may be disclosed, upon request, without prior consent of the student. Directory information is information contained in an education record of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.

Tulane has designated the following as directory information:

• Student name (Legal name and Preferred Name)
• Permanent, Local, & Campus Addresses
• Telephone Numbers
• Email Address
• Dates of Attendance
• Classification
• Major
• Awards/Honors
• Degrees Conferred
• School
• Enrollment status (e.g., freshman, sophomore, junior or senior; first-year, second year, or third year)
• Full/part time status
• Past/Present participation in University sanctioned sports/activities
• Physical factors (height, weight, etc. for athletes)
• Date/Place of birth

According to FERPA, a student can request, while still enrolled, that the institution not release any directory information about the student. Institutions must comply with this request. At Tulane, students who wish to restrict the release of directory information about themselves can do so by updating the “Confidentiality Flag” under Records on Gibson Online.

Please consider your decision to restrict directory information carefully, as ANY and ALL requests for directory information will be refused. When Tulane faculty, staff, and students attempt to send you an email via Tulane’s email network, your email address will not auto populate in the address bar.

Learn more about your records and privacy

Questions concerning FERPA may be referred through email to the Office of the Registrar at registrar@tulane.edu.

Thank you,

Colette Raphel

University Registrar