Third-Party Requests

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally preclude an institution from disclosing or sharing personally identifiable information from a student’s record.  Exceptions apply, including, for example:

If the institutional has obtained the prior consent of the student, or in response to requests for directory information provided the student has not withheld release of his/her directory information.

FERPA rights cease upon death.  However, it is the policy of Athens State University that no records of deceased students be released to third parties after the date of death unless specifically authorized by the executor of the deceased’s estate or by the next of kin.

Limitations on Information Requests

A third party may only request the directory information as defined in the University’s Privacy of Student Records policy. Information released is limited to the current or preceding semester.  If the request is received between semesters, the request must indicate the previous or upcoming semester.

Fees for Information Requests

Search Fee:  All third-party requests are charged a $200 search fee.  Responses are delivered by the method the University deems most appropriate.  The standard response file is a digital Excel Spreadsheet.

Copy Fees:  In addition to the Search Fee, Copy Fees will apply to any records the University deems necessary for hardcopy responses.  Copy Fees are an additional $1.00 charge per page.

Shipping Fee:  Any hardcopy response to be shipped will incur standard carrier rates.

NOTE:  Payment is required before the record request will be processed. Checks should be made payable to Athens State University.

Procedures for Student Record Requests

  • Student Record requests must be in writing. All requests must include the requestor’s name, company or business name, postal mailing address, telephone number, fax number (if applicable), and e-mail address. Athens State University reserves the right to confirm the identity of any requestors by contacting the organization or business listed.
  • Mailed requests should be marked “Student Record Request”, must include a signature and should be mailed to Office of the Registrar/Student Records, Athens State University, 300 N. Beaty Street, Athens, AL 35611. Requests sent to other campus offices/addresses will NOT be forwarded or processed.
  • Email requests should use the subject “Student Record Request” and must be sent to registrar@athens.edu. Requests sent to other campus email addresses will NOT be forwarded or processed.  Athens State University will confirm the identity of any requestors by contacting the organization or business.
  • Requests must describe the specific information requested and the format and layout desired if the request is granted. By law, we may only provide you with directory information.
  • Requests must include one of the following in the request (whichever is applicable):
    • A statement that the requestor representative of the news media affiliated with a newspaper, magazine, television station, etc., and this request is made as part of newsgathering, or
    • A statement that the requestor is affiliated with an educational or noncommercial scientific institution and this request is made for a scholarly or scientific purpose, or
    • A statement that the requestor is affiliated with a private business and is seeking information for use in the company’s business, and how the business intends to use this information.
  • Requests should indicate the date by which the requestor would like to receive the data. Please note: due to other priorities, resource availability, campus holidays, etc., a request may take from two to three weeks to fulfill from the date of receipt.
  • Requests must acknowledge that the requestor has reviewed the applicable fees for the request and that the requestor agrees to pay for applicable costs incurred in processing the request.