College students' right to privacy often at odds with parents' need to know

By Mara Rose Williams

"The federal law [FERPA] and the way universities interpret it often pit students' right to privacy against what some parents deem as their right to know..."

"The law does allow institutions to disclose student information to parents in emergencies."

"A year after a mentally troubled student shot and killed 32 people and himself at Virginia Tech in April 2007, FERPA changed the definition of an emergency situation from an 'extreme situation' to a 'significant threat to the health or safety of the student or other individuals.'"

"The law gives universities permission to inform parents, but it doesn't require information be disclosed to anyone except the student, Roney said..."

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