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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 helps protect the privacy of student records. The Act provides for the right to inspect and review educational records, to seek to amend those records, and to limit disclosure of information from the records. The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding.

Students who are currently enrolled or formerly enrolled, regardless of their age or parental dependency status, are protected. FERPA does not apply to deceased students or persons who have applied, but have not attended the university.

Students can go online and create an authorized user to view and pay fees. Log on to MySJSU and then click on Self Service > Student Center> Online payments, payment plans and account services > Authorized Users. Information will be restricted to financial matters only. No grades, class schedules or academic holds will be indicated.

• For step-by-step instructions, see How to designate an authorized user (pdf)

The following may have access to student records:

• The student and any outside party who has the student's written consent
• Parents of a dependent student as defined by the Internal Revenue Code; parents of students termed dependent for income tax purposes
• A person in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order

Student information may be disclosed without student's consent, as an exception to FERPA, under the following conditions:

• To certain federal, state and local authorities in connection with an audit or an evaluation of state or federally supported educational program
• To comply with a judicial order or subpoena
• To the Internal Revenue Service in compliance with the Taxpayer Relief Act