Family Educational Rights and Privacy Acts (FERPA)

Students have the right to restrict the dissemination of their photo image and directory information. According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, known as FERPA, during check-in, each student may restrict how and to whom directory data is provided (please see Privacy Statements). Once a student restricts directory information, it will be used only for official Harvard University business. It will not be given to fellow students, organizations, or outside parties and will not be published in the online photo directory, commencement publications, or alumni directories. Students should consider carefully whether to restrict access to their directory data. Please note that identifying information, even if restricted for directory purposes, may be shared within the classroom setting and through the use of electronic academic tools such as Canvas or Zoom. 

Students who wish to revise their decision on restricting their directory data must inform the Registrar’s Office by updating their Directory Profile indicator on the Student Home tab of my.harvard or via the registration check-in on my.harvard. 

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health routinely maintains records for its students that describe and document their work and progress. These education records generally include documents such as permanent and local addresses, admissions records, enrollment status, course grades, reports and evaluations, completion of requirements and progress toward a degree, records of disciplinary actions, letters of recommendation, and other correspondence with or concerning the student.

To be useful, a student’s records must be accurate and complete. The officials who maintain them are those in charge of the functions reflected in the records and the offices where the records are kept. These ordinarily include the registrar of the Harvard Chan School, the student’s academic adviser, the student’s department chair or program head, departmental evaluation committees where appropriate, the Committee on Admissions and Degrees, deans’ offices, the Admissions Office (if reapplying), the Office of Financial Aid, and other officials of the University deemed to have appropriate educational need. All students have access to their own education records and may contribute to them if they feel there is need for clarification. Students wishing access to their education records should contact the Harvard Chan School Registrar’s Office. Students are asked to submit a written request that identifies the specific record or records they wish to inspect. Access will be given within 45 days from the receipt of the request. When a record contains information about more than one student, the student requesting access may inspect and review only the portion of the record relating to him or her. Students also are not permitted to view letters and statements of recommendation to which they waived their right of access, or that were placed in their file before January 1, 1975.

Students should direct any questions they have about the accuracy of records to the person in charge of the office where the records are kept. If questions still remain, the matter may be referred to the Harvard Chan School Registrar. Should it be necessary, a hearing may be held to resolve challenges concerning the accuracy of records in those cases where informal discussions have not satisfactorily settled the questions raised.

The Harvard Chan School regards the following information as “directory information,” that is, information that, under FERPA, can be made available to the general public: student name, image, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, previous schools attended and degrees received, local and permanent address, phone number, email address, and photograph captured for the HUID card. For student employees, directory information includes job title, teaching appointment (if applicable), employing department, and dates of employment.

Please note that Harvard University’s definition of “directory information,” found on the Provost Office website, may include elements in addition to those used by the Harvard Chan School and that requests for directory information received at the University level thus may result in disclosure of such additional elements.

Students may direct the Harvard Chan School of Public Health not to disclose their directory information, usually known as putting in place a “FERPA Block.” To do so, a student must inform the registrar of the Harvard Chan School, in writing, of that decision. Students should be aware of the possible consequences of putting in place a FERPA Block, such as missed mailings, messages, and announcements, nonverification of enrollment or degree status, and non-inclusion in the Harvard Graduation booklet. Students who have previously chosen to put in place a FERPA Block may decide to reverse this decision, also by informing the registrar of the Harvard Chan School in writing.

In addition to permitting the disclosure of directory information, as set forth above, FERPA permits disclosure of educational records without a student’s knowledge or consent under certain circumstances. For example, disclosure is permitted to Harvard officials with a legitimate educational interest in the records, meaning that the person needs the information to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities, including instructional, supervisory, advisory, administrative, academic or research, staff support, or other duties. “Harvard officials” include faculty, administrators, clerical employees, professional employees, Harvard University Health Services professionals, Harvard University police officers, agents of the University, such as independent contractors or vendors performing functions on behalf of a Harvard School or the University, members of Harvard’s governing boards, and students serving on an official School or University committee or assisting another Harvard official in performing their tasks. A student’s education record also may be shared with parties outside the University under certain conditions, including, for example, situations involving a health and safety emergency. In addition, a Harvard School will forward a student’s education records to other agencies or institutions that have requested the records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled as long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.

If the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health finds that a student has committed a disciplinary violation involving a crime of violence or a nonforcible sex offense, then it also may, if legally permitted and in the Harvard Chan School’s judgment appropriate, disclose certain information about the disciplinary case. The disclosure may include the student’s name, the violation committed, and the sanction imposed.

As set forth above, under both Harvard policy and FERPA, students and former students may inspect and review certain education records of theirs that Harvard maintains. They also have the right to exercise limited control over other people’s access to their education records; seek to correct their education records if they believe them to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their FERPA rights; file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe Harvard has not complied with the requirements of FERPA; and be fully informed of their rights under FERPA. Complaints regarding alleged violation of rights of students under FERPA may be submitted in writing within 180 days to the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-5920.

Visit the Additional EEA Privacy Disclosures page to read the University’s European Economic Area (EEA) privacy disclosures and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) disclosures.