Parental Notification

In 1998, Congress revised the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to allow (but not require) campus administrators to notify parents of students under age 21 who violate campus AOD policies. While controversial, these revisions give campuses the power to decide their own process for parental notification. For instance, administrators have the right to notify parents of such violations without first advising students that their parents will be contacted. Supporters of parental notification say such policies actively engage parents as partners in keeping their children safe and healthy on campus, and allow them to become involved before their student gets into serious trouble with alcohol or other drugs.

Since parental notification policies are relatively new on campus, comprehensive research and evaluation of the effectiveness of such policies are not yet available. Assessment of such policies is further complicated because each campus is free to implement them in the manner and to the degree they choose. For instance, some IHEs choose to notify parents of the first offense; others disclose only upon repeat or serious violation.

Some data do exist that show the extent to which campuses are implementing or considering parental notification policies. A 2000 survey conducted by the Association for Student Judicial Affairs' Model Policy Committee and Bowling Green State University of 189 schools showed that 59 percent of IHEs had parental notification policies or practices in place, while another 25 percent of respondents indicated that they were actively considering the adoption of such policies. Only16 percent of respondents indicated they had no such policies and were not considering them. Further, the study showed that the overwhelming majority of parents who received such notice were “very supportive” (72 percent) or “supportive” (7 percent) of parental notification policies. The study also demonstrates preliminary data supporting that such policies are seen as positive by administrators and reduce repeat AOD policy violations.

One thing is certain: implementing and executing such policies requires a substantial amount of energy, and campus administrators should be prepared for the increased amount of staff time and effort devoted to developing policies, notifying parents, and following up with students and parents. Moreover, parental notification is not a quick-fix solution to alcohol and drug abuse on campus. Rather, such policies are just one part of a comprehensive approach to prevention on campus, and their development and enforcement should involve concerned students as well as faculty and staff. The Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues has developed a list of recommendations for campuses seeking to implement or revise parental notification policies.