In the postsecondary environment, the transition is sometimes something of a shock for those of us who are parents. We have become accustomed to dealing closely with schools in all matters regarding our children. But now, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a set of federal regulations, applies to our children and to most of the colleges and universities they attend.

FERPA was established in 1974 as part of a larger body of legislation dealing with the privacy of our citizens. Introduced by Senator James Buckley of New York, FERPA sought to make certain guarantees to students about the privacy of their education records. In the context of those regulations, the guarantees are made specifically to postsecondary students, whom FERPA acknowledges as fully responsible adults. After all, these young people, most of whom are already 18 years of age, are considered responsible adults in other arenas (such as the workplace) and where other laws and regulations are concerned.

 Please note that these guarantees are made direct to the student, not to the parents nor to any guardians of the students. For the most part, the student is the only individual who can authorize access to her student records. As parents, we no longer have a right to access the student records of our adult children without their signed, written consent to do so.