Can a professor or advisor talk to a parent about a student’s performance or behavior?
• Professors/Advisors cannot talk to parents about anything specific related to a student unless the student has signed a FERPA release naming that parent. To check whether a student has signed a FERPA release, contact the Registration & Records office. • Before answering any questions for parents, tell them that students are protected by a federal law called FERPA (or the Buckley Amendment) and you need to check whether their son/daughter has signed a release that would allow you to share information. You might suggest that they talk to their son/daughter while you check on the FERPA release. If the FERPA release is signed (naming that parent), then you may talk to the parent, but it is good practice to involve the student in this, either with a conference call or a joint meeting. If the FERPA release is NOT signed, then let parents know that you can’t talk to them (and why), but encourage them to speak directly to their son/daughter. • If a parent leaves a message (voice or e-mail),
