Eastern Connecticut State University Policy and Procedures Statement in Accordance with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
It is the policy of Eastern Connecticut State University to respect the rights and privacy of students in accordance with federal regulations published by the Department of Health and Human Services for enforcing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). As a result of the legislation, the student is guaranteed certain rights and safeguards.
Parental Notification:
To foster closer communication with parents and guardians, the University has implemented a parental notification policy. Under FERPA, colleges and universities are permitted to inform the parents or guardians of students under the age of 21 if the student is found to be in violation of the university's alcohol or drug policies. The Student Conduct Office will notify parents or guardians when a student under 21 is found responsible for violations of the University’s alcohol and/or drug policies. This notification will typically occur either verbally or in writing.
If the parent is present at the student conduct proceeding or if it is known that the parent is aware of the incident, the University may not send a notification letter as these circumstances meet the notification standard. Eastern Connecticut State University will continue to encourage students who are found responsible for violations to inform their parents about the incident and the resulting consequences.
Emancipated students are responsible for providing the Student Conduct Office with the necessary documentation before a finding of responsibility is made, to prevent notification to their parents. It is solely the student's responsibility to ensure this documentation is submitted; failure to do so will result in a notification being sent to the student’s permanent address. While the University will not contact parents or guardians of students who are 21 years of age or older, we encourage these students to communicate with their parents independently.
