Lehigh University is committed to protecting the confidential information that is created by or comes into possession of the University. These procedures govern the expectations around the sharing, handling, and protection of Lehigh University confidential information.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. A school may only disclose a student’s education records under certain, limited circumstances.  However, information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date of birth, and other general identifying information, otherwise known as “directory information” may be disclosed without consent.  Students who would like to limit the disclosure of their directory information per FERPA can set the confidential indicator on their record using a self-selection tool available in Connect Lehigh (on the Ellucian Experience platform).

Implications of Marking Your Record Confidential

Setting this indicator limits “directory information” when the student has requested to restrict the disclosure/release of their information, enacting their right to do so under FERPA. This means that the individual’s information will no longer be available to disclose outside university employees and regulatory business for any reason. This also means that the individual will no longer be able to conduct university business or get help over the phone or via online chat. In order to obtain student services, individuals will be required to appear in university offices in person to confirm their identity or by using their Lehigh email address. Once a student’s record is made confidential, it will remain confidential (even after graduation) unless the individual revokes their selection or requests in writing the removal of the confidential indicator.

Lehigh University defines Directory Information to include: a student's legal name and chosen name; home and University addresses; mailbox number; home and University phone numbers; date and place of birth; name of parent or guardian; name of spouse; major field of college student; class level; dates of attendance; degrees and awards received; the most recently attended educational institution; and, participation in sports and in officially recognized activities listed by the student; weight and height of members of athletic teams. For the most current list of Directory Information, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Student information will not be displayed in the Lehigh Directory if their record is marked confidential. Employees of the University (faculty and staff) will still be able to access students’ information in accordance with their job function in order to provide services to the student.

In the case where a student assigns proxy access to a specific part of their student record, then Lehigh University can conduct business with that individual as it relates to that part of the student record. For example, if a student has marked their record confidential but has given proxy access to their parent to pay their tuition bill, then the Bursar’s Office would be able to speak with the parent about the bill. Other offices that handle other parts of the student record, such as the Registrar’s Office, would not be able to speak to the parent because the rest of the student record is still confidential.

Employees who are also students at Lehigh and mark their record confidential will have their information restricted as stated above. This will impact the ability for other employees to obtain their contact information, including information stored in the Lehigh directory such as email, phone number, office location, etc. While the student aspect of the record is marked confidential, the limiting of the employee’s information will remain in effect, even after the employee is no longer an active student.

Process for Designating Your Records as Confidential/Restricting the Disclosure/Release of your Information

Students can designate their record as confidential in the Confidentiality Card found on Connect Lehigh. Requests can also be made to the Office of the Registrar by the student from their Lehigh University designated email account.

Handling of Confidential Records or Data

As stewards of University data, all Lehigh employees are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of the information they have access to.

When the confidential indicator field is checked on a individual’s record within Banner:

  • The word “Confidential” will appear next to the individual’s LIN and name in the top left-hand corner, and the following message will be displayed when the record is opened: “Warning: Information about this person is confidential.”
  • The “Confidential” box on the “Biographical” tab in any of the *IDEN forms in Banner Admin (AppNav) will have a checkmark.
  • There will also be a Confidential Indicator Comment (CFI) in the SPACMNT form that includes the date the change was made and a comment with the userid and what the indicator was changed to “restricted” or “unrestricted”. 
Student Information

Student records may only be marked confidential by the student themselves or by staff in the Registrar’s Office. Reversing the confidential indicator can only be done by the student themselves or by the Registrar’s Office staff.

All University employees must follow the guidelines laid out by FERPA when accessing student records that are marked confidential. Releasing directory information about anyone who has restricted the sharing of their information is prohibited. Anyone who releases any information about individuals coded as confidential will be in violation of University policy. This includes acknowledging the person is a student at Lehigh. If any request is made regarding a student marked “Confidential” (verbal, written, or otherwise), the only appropriate response is “I have no record of that person”. This includes if it is the student themselves on the phone or online chat. The only exception to this is if the request is made from the student themself using their Lehigh email address; then it is acceptable to respond to their request via email.

Employees of the University (faculty and staff) will still be able to access students’ information in order to provide services to the student.

Employee Information

Employee records may only be marked confidential if the employee is also a student at the University. This process may be done only by the employee themselves.

Other protocols for protecting employee records and information are already in place. For more information on handling employee information/data, please view the Human Resources Privacy of Information Statement in the faculty and staff guides, available on the Human Resources website.