The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires that a university designate what it regards as public (directory) information. This information may be released upon inquiry without specific authorization. The law also requires that each currently enrolled student be given the opportunity to direct that any or all of the items designated as public information pertaining to him/her not be released during that term.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn has designated the following items as public information: name, home and local address and telephone, U-M school or college, class level, major field, dates of attendance at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, any degree received, participation in recognized activities, previous school attended, and height and weight of members of intercollegiate athletic teams.

Although this information is designated as "public," the University does restrict its dissemination. For example, it has been University policy for some years not to furnish address lists to the many insurance companies, magazine subscription agencies, and other organizations that request them. Most of the requests for public information come from prospective employers who want to verify dates of attendance or degrees received, or from friends or relatives who are trying to locate a particular student. While students have the right to direct that public information about them not be released, they should carefully consider that all of the possible consequences of that action before making the decision to do so. (The withholding of information cannot be selective as to the persons inquiring; if it is withheld from one, it is withheld from all.)

Students who wish to restrict the release of any or all of the items designated as public information must complete a Non-Disclosure of Directory Information Card available at the Office of the Registrar, 1169 UC. The institution will honor a student's request to withhold public information until such time that a written request to remove the restriction is received from the student. Once a student is no longer enrolled, including withdrawal during the term, the University is not obligated to restrict access to public information.

Persons external to the University (including parents and/or spouse) will be given information from a student's record only when a) such release is authorized in writing by the student, or b) it is in connection with the student's application for a receipt of financial aid, or c) for the purpose of accreditation, development and validation of predictive tests, administration of student aid programs, or improvement of instruction, or d) when disclosure is required in a health or safety emergency, by federal or state law, or by subpoena.

Adapted from: University of Michigan-Dearborn
Office of the Registrar
Policy for the Handling of Disclosure of Public Information (1991)