Records & Privacy

Annual Reminder: Notification of Your Student Privacy Rights Under FERPA

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Annual Reminder: Notification of Your Student Privacy Rights Under FERPA Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 09/09/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, to all enrolled students.

Dear [first],

As a ��ɫ��Ƶ student, it's important to understand your rights regarding access to and disclosure of information in your education record. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords you the right to:

Inspect and review your education record
Request amendment of your education record
Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information in your education record
File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education (Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202)

To review or request an amendment to your record, contact the university office that maintains the record. This does not apply to grade changes, which are at faculty discretion.

Release of Information

Under FERPA, the university may release your education record information if the disclosure is:

To ��ɫ��Ƶ officials who have a legitimate educational interest
To officials of another institution at which you seek or intend to enroll
To authorized representatives of federal, state or local educational authorities
In connection with financial aid you've applied for or received
To an organization conducting studies for or on behalf of the university
To your parents or guardians (if you have authorized consent or are a dependent student for tax purposes)
To an accrediting organization
To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
In connection with a health or safety emergency or other exception under FERPA
To fulfill a request for data that ��ɫ��Ƶ defines as directory information

Directory information is student data contained in education records that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Student data that is not directory information may only be released with your documented consent, including in letters of recommendation.

To authorize third-party access to your non-directory education record information, see CU guest access and FERPA consent to release.

You may restrict the release of directory information by placing full privacy on your record. Please note that students on full privacy are not treated differently than other students within the physical or virtual classroom. Their name, image and email address may appear on screen and in the learning management system, and instructors may call on them by name.

Remote & Online Classes

Recordings of lectures or class meetings are considered education records if students' names or likenesses are displayed or disclosed. Instructors may share these recordings with the class, but not with others without documented consent from each student identified in the recording.

Artificial Intelligence

AI development, its uses and tools are rapidly evolving. AI users at ��ɫ��Ƶ should stay current with campus policies and guidance regarding student data privacy, compliance, security and other AI considerations and implications. See Artificial Intelligence at ��ɫ��Ƶ.

Questions may be directed to the Office of the Registrar.

Sincerely,

Kristi Wold-McCormick, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Provost and University Registrar

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

As a student at ��ɫ��Ƶ, it's important for you to understand your rights regarding access to and disclosure of information in your education record.

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Reminder: Set Your Security Passphrase (Targeted Message)

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Reminder: Set Your Security Passphrase (Targeted Message) Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/15/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, to students who were enrolled in Fall 2025 classes and didn't have a security passphrase on file.

Dear [first],

Please take a moment to set an easy-to-remember security passphrase.

Stating your passphrase is the quickest way to verify your identity and get the answers you need when contacting a campus office by phone or in person without a photo ID.

Set Your Security Passphrase (Buff Portal)

Remember: Do not share your security passphrase with anyone.

To allow a parent, guardian, sponsor or other third party to discuss or view parts of your education record, set up FERPA consent to release and/or CU guest access for them.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

Please take a moment to set an easy-to-remember security passphrase. When you contact an office by phone or in person without a photo ID, stating your passphrase is the quickest way to verify your identity and get the answers you need.

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Reminder: You Chose Full Privacy (Targeted Message)

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Reminder: You Chose Full Privacy (Targeted Message) Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/14/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, to students who were on full privacy and were either enrolled in Fall 2025 classes or were within the allowed undergraduate leave of absence period.

Dear [first],

You elected full privacy by submitting a FERPA nondisclosure form. To protect your information, CU is required by federal law to follow strict procedures when talking about your education record.

Remember You're on Full Privacy

If you want to discuss your education record in person, you must first present a valid photo ID to confirm your identity. If you call, you must say, "I'm on full privacy, and my security passphrase is...."

Tell Your Authorized Third Parties

If you want to authorize a third party (e.g., a parent or guardian) to contact CU on your behalf, use FERPA consent to release to establish an authorization phrase for them. When they contact CU, they must say, "I'm an authorized third party and my authorization phrase is..."

Consider Potential Impacts

��ɫ��Ƶ won't publish information about your honors or awards, and your name won’t appear in commencement materials.

If a potential employer or university attempts to verify your degree, CU staff must respond, "Due to data privacy policies, we are unable to respond to your request."

Change Your Privacy Status If Needed

To remove full privacy from your record, follow the instructions on our full privacy webpage.

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

You elected full privacy by submitting a FERPA nondisclosure form. To protect your information, CU is required by federal law to follow strict procedures when talking about your education record.

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Graduation Tips for Students on Full Privacy (Targeted Message)

Linda Sprouse — Tue, 06 May 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Graduation Tips for Students on Full Privacy (Targeted Message) Linda Sprouse Tue, 05/06/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 5, 2025, to students on full privacy who'd applied for May 2025 graduation.

Dear [first],

You've applied to graduate this May. As you know, because you're on full privacy, your name won't appear in newspapers, on honors and awards lists, or in the 2024–25 commencement program.

Keeping Full Privacy

If you'd like to stay on full privacy after you graduate, here are a couple tips:

Set an easy-to-remember security passphrase through your Buff Portal profile. If you have to contact us by phone, say, "I'm on full privacy, and my security passphrase is..."
Employers won't be able to verify your degree without your permission. Download your free CeDiploma when it posts on June 26, 2024, and share it with employers to verify your degree electronically.

Removing Full Privacy

If you'd like to remove full privacy from your record now or in the future, follow the instructions on our full privacy webpage.

If you have any questions, please let us know. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

You've applied to graduate this May. As you know, because you're on full privacy, your name won't appear in newspapers, on honors and awards lists, or in the 2024–25 commencement program.

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Granting Third-Party Access to Your Records

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:04:21 +0000

Granting Third-Party Access to Your Records Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/10/2025 - 14:04 Office of the Registrar

Related Messages

This reminder was also shared in the ��ɫ��Ƶ Today student edition.

As required by federal law, ��ɫ��Ƶ is committed to protecting your personal information. If you want to give a parent or other third party (e.g., guardian, spouse, sponsor or health provider) access to those records, complete the necessary authorizations as outlined below.

Your tuition and fee bill

You may authorize a third party to view your tuition bill and pay online, sign up for payment plans, receive email notifications about the bill, and discuss the bill (but not financial aid) with Bursar’s Office staff by email, phone and in person. To learn more, see Access to CUBill&Pay – Authorize Payers and What Does Authorized Payer Access Mean?

Your education records

To allow a third party to access your academic and/or financial record, complete one or both of the following authorizations.

FERPA consent to release: Allow an authorized third party to contact the university on your behalf and discuss your academic and/or financial records by phone, LiveChat, email or in person. We'll confirm their identity by asking them to provide the authorization phrase you established for them. To learn more, see FERPA Consent to Release.
CU guest access: Allow a designated third party to log in to the CU record system for read-only access to select items in your education record. To learn more, see CU Guest Access.

Your health record

A confidential health record is created for you after your first visit with Medical Services and/or Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS). Allow a family member or other health care provider to access your record by completing one or both of the following authorizations in your MyCUHealth portal under the "Forms" tab.

Authorization to Release Health Information: Release your medical information to yourself or another person/clinic. Record requests will be processed within 30 days.
Authorization to Verbally Disclose Health Information: Allow a family member or other health care provider to speak with Medical Services and/or CAPS.

To learn more, see Notice of Privacy Practices.

Find out how to give a trusted individual access to your academic, financial or health records.

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Annual Reminder: Notification of Your Student Privacy Rights Under FERPA

Linda Sprouse — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Annual Reminder: Notification of Your Student Privacy Rights Under FERPA Linda Sprouse Tue, 02/04/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, to all enrolled Main Campus, Continuing Education and specialized programs students who didn't already receive our annual FERPA reminder on Sept. 17, 2024.

Dear [first],

Inspect and review your education record
Request amendment of your education record
Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information in your education record
File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education (Student Privacy Policy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202)

To review or request an amendment to your record, contact the university office that maintains the record. This does not apply to grade changes, which are at faculty discretion.

Release of Information

Under FERPA, the university may release your education record information if the disclosure is:

To ��ɫ��Ƶ officials who have a legitimate educational interest
To officials of another institution at which you seek or intend to enroll
To authorized representatives of federal, state or local educational authorities
In connection with financial aid you've applied for or received
To an organization conducting studies for or on behalf of the university
To your parents or guardians (if you are a dependent student for tax purposes)
To an accrediting organization
To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
In connection with a health or safety emergency or other exception under FERPA
To fulfill a request for data that ��ɫ��Ƶ defines as directory information

You may restrict the release of directory information by placing full privacy on your record. Please note that students on full privacy are treated the same as other students in instructional settings, including within physical and virtual classrooms. Their name, image and email address may appear on screen and in the learning management system, and instructors may call on them by name.

Remote & Online Classes

Artificial Intelligence

Questions may be directed to the Office of the Registrar.

Sincerely,

Kristi Wold-McCormick, Ph.D.
University Registrar

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

As a student at ��ɫ��Ƶ, it's important to understand your rights regarding access to and disclosure of information in your education record.

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Update Your Local Address & Other Contact Info

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Update Your Local Address & Other Contact Info Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/31/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Related Messages

This reminder was also shared in the ��ɫ��Ƶ Today student edition (Friday, Jan. 31, 2025).

Why It's Important

��ɫ��Ƶ participates in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), a national initiative that allows us to deliver education (either online or through internships, practica or other placements) to students outside of Colorado. The agreement also provides students with an additional layer of consumer protection.

If you're located outside of Colorado and/or you won't be on campus while taking classes, it's important for us to know where you are so we can make sure you're getting equitable access to educational opportunities.

To learn more about how ��ɫ��Ƶ's participation in SARA, see our state authorization webpage.

How To Do It

To update your contact information:

Go to Buff Portal (you may be prompted to log in).
Select your profile at the top right.
Select "Account Settings," then "Profile and Privacy."
On the contact information menu, select the type of information you want to update (e.g., addresses, phone numbers, emergency contacts).
Follow the instructions on the page to add, edit or delete (if allowed) your information.
To review or change a different type of information, use your browser's back button to return to the menu.

To learn more, see Update Your Contact Information.

This is especially important if you're located outside of Colorado and/or you won't be on campus while taking classes.

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Action Required: Submit Your SSN/TIN for Tax Purposes by March 14 (Targeted Message)

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Action Required: Submit Your SSN/TIN for Tax Purposes by March 14 (Targeted Message) Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/14/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, to individuals who needed to receive a 1098-T tuition statement for 2024, didn't have an SSN or TIN on file, and didn't receive the October 2024 version of this email.

Dear [first],

You are required by federal law to provide a Social Security number (SSN) or Taxpayer Identification number (TIN) to ��ɫ��Ƶ for tax purposes.*

If you fail to do so, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may impose a financial penalty of $50 (26 CFR 1.6050S-1(e)).

Take Action by Friday, March 14

To resolve this issue, submit an SSN/TIN update form and a copy of your SSN or TIN card to the Office of the Registrar by mail or secure document upload by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Office of the Registrar
��ɫ��Ƶ
Regent Administrative Center, room 101
20 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0020

Do not email documentation containing your SSN or TIN; email is not secure.

International Students

This requirement does not apply to international students who are not eligible for a United States SSN or TIN.

��ɫ��Ƶ Employees

You may have reported your SSN to HR, however, our systems do not currently communicate and you will need to report it to the Office of the Registrar as well to fulfill this requirement.

Privacy

��ɫ��Ƶ protects the confidentiality of personally identifiable information and will not disclose an SSN or TIN for any purpose not permitted by law or policy (including FERPA) without your consent.

*Federal Requirement

Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code requires you to provide your correct SSN or TIN so ��ɫ��Ƶ can file Form 1098-T (Tuition Statement) with the IRS and provide a statement to you.

For information about tax benefits for higher education, see IRS Pub. 970 or the ��ɫ��Ƶ Bursar's Office tax information page.

Email Authenticity

Official communications from our office are also available on our website. To find a specific announcement, go to the ��ɫ��Ƶ Office of the Registrar site and click "Students," then "Announcements."

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

To resolve this issue, submit an SSN/TIN update form and a copy of your SSN or TIN card to the Office of the Registrar by mail or secure document upload by 5 p.m. on March 14, 2025.

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Reminder: You Chose Full Privacy (Targeted Message)

Linda Sprouse — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Reminder: You Chose Full Privacy (Targeted Message) Linda Sprouse Wed, 01/08/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, to students who were on full privacy and who had registered or were eligible to register for Spring 2025 classes.

Dear [first],

You elected full privacy by submitting a FERPA nondisclosure form. To protect your information, CU is required by federal law to follow strict procedures when talking about your education record.

Remember You're on Full Privacy

Tell Your Authorized Third Parties

Consider Potential Impacts

��ɫ��Ƶ won't publish information about your honors or awards, and your name won't appear in commencement materials.

If a potential employer or university attempts to verify your degree, CU staff must respond, "Due to data privacy policies, we are unable to respond to your request."

Change Your Privacy Status If Needed

To remove full privacy from your record, follow the instructions on our full privacy webpage.

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

You elected full privacy by submitting a FERPA nondisclosure form. To protect your information, CU is required by federal law to follow strict procedures when talking about your education record.

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Reminder: Set Your Security Passphrase (Targeted Message)

Linda Sprouse — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Reminder: Set Your Security Passphrase (Targeted Message) Linda Sprouse Wed, 01/08/2025 - 00:00 Office of the Registrar

Who Received This Email?

We sent this email at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, to students who didn't have a security passphrase on record, were enrolled in Spring 2025 classes, and weren't already reminded on Aug. 21, 2024.

Dear [first],

Please take a moment to set an easy-to-remember security passphrase.

Stating your passphrase is the quickest way to verify your identity and get the answers you need when contacting a campus office by phone or in person without a photo ID.

Set Your Security Passphrase (CU Portal)

Remember: Do not share your security passphrase with anyone.

To allow a parent, guardian, sponsor or other third party to discuss or view parts of your education record, set up FERPA consent to release and/or CU guest access for them.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Office of the Registrar | ��ɫ��Ƶ
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

Please take a moment to establish a security passphrase that CU staff can use to verify your identity when you contact us by phone or in person without a photo ID.

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