Article 3, Part 6 – Student Records – Guidelines and Regulations Governing Access and Release

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§ 3-602 Definitions

For the purpose of the Act:

  1. “Student” is defined as a person who is or has been in attendance at the University of Illinois, and for whom the university maintains education records or personally identifiable information.
  2. “Education records” are those records, files, documents, and other materials that contain information directly related to the student and are maintained by the university or by a person acting for the university. Under the Act, each student has the right to inspect their education record (see § 3-604 Regulations for Record Custodians).

    Exclusions:
    1. Sole possession records (personal memory aids that are not accessible or revealed to others except to a temporary substitute for the maker of the record).
    2. Alumni records that are created or received by the university after an individual is no longer a student in attendance and are not directly related to the individual’s attendance or academic progress as a student.
    3. Grades on peer graded assignments until they are collected and recorded by an instructor.
  3. At the university, “directory information” for currently enrolled students includes the student’s name, addresses (including email), telephone numbers, University Identification Number (UIN), college, curriculum, and major field of study, class level, date of admission, expected graduation date, date of birth, dates of attendance and full- or part-time status, attendance site (campus/location), eligibility for membership in registered university honoraries, degrees, honors, and certificates received or anticipated; for students appointed as fellows, assistants, graduate, or undergraduate hourly employees, the title, appointing department, appointment dates, duties, and percent time of the appointment; weight and height if the student is an athletic team member; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; and institutions previously attended.
  4. For former students, “directory information” may include the student’s name; date of birth; last known addresses and telephone numbers; college, curriculum, and major field of study; dates of admission, attendance, and full or part-time status; class level; honors; certificates or degrees earned at the university and the date(s) conferred; weight and height if the student was an athletic team member; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; attendance site (campus/location), and institutions previously attended.
  5. "University officials" may include:
    1. any person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, student employee, or support staff position (including persons employed by the university law enforcement unit and health staff);
    2. a person serving on an official committee, including but not limited to a scholarship, disciplinary or grievance committee, or otherwise assisting a university official in performing their tasks;
    3. a person serving on the Board of Trustees;
    4. a person or company with whom the university has contracted to provide a service (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent).
  6. A school official has a "legitimate education interest" if the official is:
    1. performing a task that is specified in the official's position description or contract agreement;
    2. performing a task related to a student's education (e.g., providing academic or personal advice and counsel, creating and/or maintaining educational records, supervising and/or certifying student educational progress for university or government purposes);
    3. performing a task related to the disciplining of a student;
    4. providing a service or benefit relating to the student (e.g., health care, counseling, job placement, housing, financial aid); or
    5. maintaining the safety and security of the campus.

    Whether or not a legitimate educational interest exists will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the head of the unit with which the records are affiliated or, if the request would include records that do not belong to that unit, by the Registrar.
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