What is an Education Record?

Education records are:

  • Directly related to the student
  • Maintained by the institutions or party acting for the institution
  • Include any records (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, computer, or other medium) maintained by Appalachian State University and which personally identifies a student, with the following exceptions:
  1. A personal record kept by a University employee if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record and is not accessible by or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.
  2. Records created and maintained by Appalachian State University's Office of Public Safety/University Police solely for law enforcement purposes.
  3. An employment record of an individual whose employment is not contingent upon the fact that he or she is a student, provided that the record is used only in relation to the individual's employment.
  4. Records made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional when that person is acting in his or her professional or paraprofessional capacity, and if the records are used solely for treatment of the student and made available only to those persons providing the treatment.
  5. Records which contain information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at Appalachian State University and which do not relate to the person as a student.