Release Polices & Practices

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) protects a student's educational records from unauthorized disclosure to third parties.

The university may disclose an educational record without consent under limited circumstances, which may include the following:

  • disclosure to other school officials for legitimate educational reasons
  • disclosure to parents of any student under the age of 21 if the student has violated the law or school policy regarding the possession or use of alcohol or illegal drugs

Students may wish to release their records for background checks, employment review, graduate school applications and other circumstances. In order to authorize such a release, students may complete the Request Your Conduct Record Form.

Our office responds honestly to the questions posed on conduct checks and will provide specific information regarding active behavioral and academic conduct records.

Information provided in a conduct check will typically include:

  • the date of the incident,
  • the charges for which the student was found in violation,
  • the sanctions, and
  • completion status of sanctions.

Administrative records are not typically released as part of a conduct check, unless specifically requested or required in the check.

Administratively archived (previously “expunged”) records are not typically released as part of a conduct check, unless specifically requested or required in the check.

If you are looking for information related to your academic record in addition to your disciplinary record (i.e., grades, academic probation) or other education records (e.g., financial obligation history), please submit your request through the Office of the Registrar. SRR can only answer questions related to a student’s disciplinary record.

SRR also does not include any records regarding sex- and/or gender-based harassment if the report was made to the University after July 1, 2018. If you wish to receive such records, you will need to contact the University’s Title IX office by calling (202) 994-7434 or emailing [email protected].

It is important to note that information regarding a student’s record maintained by other GW departments are not subject to the Code of Student Conduct’s record retention and administrative archive provisions. These materials may include, but are not limited to, George Washington University Police Department Reports, arrest reports, or copies of letters sent in conjunction with a student’s record.