Within the Western Carolina University community, only those members, individually or collectively, with a legitimate educational interest are allowed access to a student’s education records. For these purposes, ‘legitimate educational interests’ means (1) the information or records requested are relevant and necessary to the accomplishment of some task or determination; and, (2) the task or determination is an employment responsibility for the inquirer or is a properly-assigned subject matter for the inquirer's employment responsibility.

At its discretion, the institution may provide Directory Information in accordance with the provisions of the The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended.   Western Carolina University hereby designates the following categories of student information as public or "Directory Information". Such information may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose, at its discretion.

Requests for non-disclosure of Directory Information will be honored until the student requests that the hold be removed.  Students are warned, however, prior to making a decision to withhold personally identifiable data, that undesirable consequences frequently occur, such as names of students on the Dean’s List are not published, names are not listed in commencement bulletins, and requests from prospective employers are denied.  Forms are available in the One Stop Student Service Center, 132 Killian Annex and online at http://registrar.wcu.edu/Forms/students and may be returned to the One Stop Student Service Center upon completion.

Students are warned, however, prior to making a decision to withhold personally identifiable data, that undesirable consequences frequently occur, such as names of students on the Dean's List are not published, names are not listed in commencement bulletins, and requests from prospective employers are denied.

Western Carolina University assumes that any student who does not specifically request the withholding of "Directory Information" indicates approval for disclosure.