Parental Notification Policy
New York State Education Law §6438-d (Beau’s Law)
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Notification of Parent, Guardian, or Emergency Contact for Alcohol and Controlled Substance Violations
The State University of New York at Fredonia is committed to protecting student health and safety while respecting student privacy.
In accordance with FERPA and New York State Education Law §6438-d (Beau’s Law), SUNY Fredonia maintains the following policy regarding when a parent, guardian, or designated emergency contact may be notified if a student under the age of 21 is involved in certain alcohol- or controlled substance-related incidents.
Effective July 1, 2026, and in accordance with FERPA and New York State Education Law §6438-d, this policy establishes the framework under which SUNY Fredonia may notify a student’s parent(s), guardian(s), or designated emergency contact(s) when a student under the age of 21 is involved in certain alcohol- or controlled substance-related violations or incidents.
The purpose of this policy is to:
Policy Statement
SUNY Fredonia maintains a policy regarding the notification of a student’s parent(s), guardian(s), or emergency contact(s) when a student under the age of 21 is involved in certain alcohol- or controlled substance-related violations or incidents.
Notification decisions are made by authorized institutional offices and are guided by considerations of student health, safety, and welfare, as well as compliance with applicable federal and state laws.
Incidents Subject to Notification
A parent, guardian, or emergency contact may be notified when a student under the age of 21 is involved in one or more of the following, including but not limited to:
Notification Authority and Process
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Notification determinations are made only by designated institutional offices, which may include Student Affairs, the Dean of Students, University Police, Health Services, Counsel’s Office, or other authorized officials.
FERPA and New York State Education Law Considerations
FERPA permits institutions of higher education to disclose PII without consent if there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of the student or others, and the disclosure is to parties who need to know to respond.
New York State Education Law §6438-d (Beau’s Law) requires transparency in NYS institutions of higher education on its policies involving notice to a parent, guardian, or emergency contact when a student under the age of 21 is involved in one or more of the following, including but not limited to:
SUNY Fredonia exercises its authority under FERPA and New York State Education Law in a manner that limits disclosures to information reasonably necessary to address the circumstances presented.
When feasible and appropriate, students will be informed that a parent, guardian, or emergency contact has been or may be notified, unless such notification would compromise health or safety or interfere with an ongoing investigation.
Confidentiality and Privacy
All notifications under this policy are handled with sensitivity and respect for student privacy. Information shared is limited to what is necessary to address health, safety, or welfare concerns. All disclosures made pursuant to this policy are documented.
SUNY Fredonia provides regular training to employees regarding:
Questions regarding this policy or its implementation should be directed to:
FERPA and New York State Education Law Considerations
FERPA permits institutions of higher education to disclose PII without consent if there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of the student or others, and the disclosure is to parties who need to know to respond.
New York State Education Law §6438-d (Beau’s Law) "Consistent with FERPA's above health and safety exception, this law requires institutions to publicly display their policy for contacting a student’s parent(s), guardian(s), or emergency contact(s) of a violation by a student under the age of 21 for the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
Violations include but are not limited to: