Just something I've been thinking about as I prepare for college and consider a potential path in the military – to what extent do military recruiters have access to my future college student information? My understanding is a little ambiguous, so I'd appreciate some clarification.
Under the Solomon Amendment (a federal law), universities and colleges that receive federal funding are generally required to provide military recruiters with access to certain directory information about their students. This directory information typically includes things such as student names, addresses, telephone listings, dates and places of birth, class levels, academic majors, dates of attendance, and degrees awarded.
However, colleges and universities are also governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects the privacy of student education records. Under FERPA, students have the right to withhold the release of directory information. This means if you specifically request that your school withhold your directory information, then the school shouldn't provide that information to anyone, including military recruiters.
Each university and college may have their own policies and procedures for requesting to withhold directory information, so it's a good idea to check with your school's registrar office or student services center about this matter once you arrive on campus.
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