Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Students are afforded various rights regarding their personal educational records. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) outlines these rights as the following:

Students are afforded the right to inspect their education records within 45 days of a request for access to the University. This request for access should be submitted in writing to the Registrar, dean, or head of the academic department identifying the records to be inspected. A University official will notify the student of a time and place where the records will be inspected. If the person receiving the inspection request does not maintain the records, that person will advise the student of the appropriate person to whom the request should be submitted.

Students are afforded the right to request an amendment to their education records if they believe the records are inaccurate or misleading. Students may request that the institution amend a record they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. A written request for amendment of records must be submitted to the University official maintaining that record and must include what needs to be changed as well as identify why the record is inaccurate or misleading. If the University deems that the record should not be changed/amended, the student will be notified and advised of his/her right to a hearing. Information about the hearing process will be available to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

Students are afforded the right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information in their education records (not including the following FERPA authorized disclosures): FERPA allows school officials to disclose without consent when legitimate educational interests are identified. Legitimate educational interests are defined as a need to review the educational record in order to perform professional responsibilities. A school official is employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position including law enforcement or health official. A school official also includes anyone the University has contracted such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent. The members of the Board of Trustees are also considered school officials. Additionally, the University is afforded the opportunity to disclose educational records without consent to officials of another school at which a student seeks to enroll. FERPA requires that the student be notified of a records request unless the University states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request.

Students are afforded the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education regarding alleged failures by the University to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Those complaints should be directed to:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-4605