Registration: Privacy (FERPA)

FERPA for Parents and Family

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act & WCU's Privacy Policy sets forth requirements regarding the privacy of student records and affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.

Do parents have a right of access to their student's educational records?

Although parents do not have a right to these records regardless of the age of the student, the university is permitted to share these records with the parents if the student authorizes that access. West Chester University utilizes Ram Fam Central to provide and manage that access.

Requesting access to your student's educational records

  1. A parent can initiate a request for access to some of student's information through Ram Fam Central. This request requires students review and approval.
  2. FERPA authorization only grants access to the information within the portal, it does not grant the right to act on the student’s behalf.
  3. If accepted, the FERPA authorization will remain valid until rescinded by the student, or after five years.

Joining Ram Fam Central

Ram Fam Central will allow you to connect to your student by sending them a request to access their records. On the day after the request is approved by the student you will have access to view their authorized information. The data will be updated nightly.

Image of Ram Fam Central student dashboard

Parents and Family Members can Join the Ram Fam Central for Free

  1. Go to https://wcupa.campusesp.com and either sign in or sign up.
  2. Complete a quick on-boarding survey
  3. Update your profile. Users can click the person icon in the top right corner of the page and click "Edit my Profile."
  4. Update notification settings. Users can click the person icon in the top right corner of the page and click "Edit Notification Preferences." You can get alerts when something changes!

Connecting to Your Student

  1. To connect to your student, click the graduation cap icon in the top-right corner of the page. Please note that your student must approve the request. Only then will you be able to access their information the following day.
  2. Enter their West Chester University email address (@wcupa.edu). Please note that families cannot request a connection to students who have recently been admitted but have not registered for classes. Connections are only possible after a student has registered for classes.
  3. Parents and family can request access to:
    1. Class Schedule/Enrollment Information
    2. Grade(s) Information
    3. Financial Aid Information
    4. Holds on Account

Having trouble connecting to your student?

  1. Cancel the request by clicking on the graduation cap. Click "Go to my connections," click on the connection you'd like to cancel, scroll to the bottom, then click "Cancel this connection."
  2. Start a new request with the student's correct email address.
  3. Student gets an email and approves your request.

When students accept their parent or family member's request, they must accept the connection and then must approve the FERPA requests. Parents and family members can either request all available information or choose à la carte what they would like to see. Similarly, the student can either grant access to information in Ram Fam central, or pick and choose what they would like their supporters to have access to. Students can revoke access at any time by logging into the Ram Fam Central with their West Chester University username and password, or pick and choose what they would like their supporters to have access to. Students can revoke access at any time by logging into the Ram Fam Central with their West Chester University username and password.