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:
One of the ways the University has implemented to work more closely with parents/guardians is through a parental notification policy. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) permits colleges and universities to inform the parents/guardians of students under the age of 21 when a student is found in violation of university alcohol or drug rules. The Student Conduct Office will notify parents/guardians of students less than 21 years of age when a student is found responsible for violations of the University's alcohol and/or drug policies. The notification will typically be done 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 found responsible for violations to also inform their parents on the incident and the subsequent consequences.
Students who are emancipated have the responsibility to provide the Student Conduct Office with the necessary documentation prior to a finding of responsibility in order for parental notification to not occur. This is the sole responsibility of the student and a lack of appropriate notification from the student will result in the notification being sent to the permanent address. Although the University will not contact parents/guardians of students who are 21 years of age or older, we will certainly encourage them to do so on their own.
