Policy Number: AD.10.10.250805
Applies to: All applicants to Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine programs.
Date: 08/05/2025
1.0 Policy Statement
It is the WSU College of Medicine policy that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) applies to all applicants to college programs.
2.0 Definitions
FERPA (20 U.S.C. § 1231g; 34CFR)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Directory Information
Information contained in a student’s educational record that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. WAC 504-21- 050(5) establishes what constitutes directory information at WSU. Includes, but not limited to: student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, grade level, enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time), dates of attendance, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors, and awards received, and the most recent educational agency or institution attended.
Education Record
Records that are directly related to the student and maintained by an educational agency or institution.
Personally Identifiable Information
Includes, but not limited to: student’s name, name of student’s parent or other family members, address of student or student’s family, personal identifier (e.g., social security number, student number), other direct identifiers (e.g., date of birth, place of birth, mother’s maiden name), other information that is linked or linkable to a specific student
3.0 Responsibilities
Office of Student Experience (Admissions)
4.0 Procedures
FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. These rights are listed at WSU FERPA – Rights and Responsibility.
FERPA applies to students who have reached 18 years of age or are attending an institution of postsecondary education. This does not include applicants to programs to which they are not yet enrolled.
While FERPA does not apply to application records for those not yet enrolled in a college program, the college applies the same rights to privacy for applicants.
Applicants may request a copy of their submitted application to college programs. However, the following records will not be released:
- Letter of recommendation
- Interview evaluations/rubrics
- Screening or reviewing rubrics/decisions
- Admissions Committee scoring
Only college officials who have a legitimate educational interest will be granted access to admissions records.
All persons with access to FERPA-protected information must complete FERPA training prior to receiving access.
5.0 Related Policies
- The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 1231g; 34CFR Part 99)
- WSU FERPA – Rights and Responsibilities
- University Policy on Student Education Records (WAC 504-21)
- Release of Personally Identifiable Records (WAC 504-21-050)
6.0 Key Search Words
Student records, release of information, directory information, FERPA.
7.0 Revision History
Policy Number: AD.10.10.250805
Original Approval: 08/05/2025
Review/Revision: 08/05/2025