The Office of Financial Aid at The University of Southern Mississippi adheres to The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, which protects the privacy of student education records. The Family Educational Right and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) allows for "directory information" about students to be made public without specific permission. At Southern Miss, Directory Information is defined as follows: Student's Name, Address, Telephone Number, E-mail Address, Major, Dates of Attendance, Classification, Degree(s) Earned, Previous Institutions Attended, and Class Rank.

The student may withhold Directory Information by completing a privacy request form in the Office of the University Registrar located in Kennard-Washington Hall, Room 110. Completion of this form removes a student from all published Directory Information, including phone numbers.

With the increase in use of available technology, due diligence is required to ensure that FERPA policies and the policies of the institution are enforced. Guidelines for confidentiality must be applied to electronic data just as to paper documents.

Important Note: Parents lose their FERPA rights when the student turns 18, or begins attending a postsecondary institution. Under no circumstances may a student's grades, academic transcripts, or financial aid information be discussed with parents, or other third party individuals over the phone or via email. In addition, no student grades or records, including financial aid information, can be discussed with parents or other third party individuals in person in the absence of the student.