Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights聽include:
1. The right to inspect and review the student鈥檚 educational records within 45聽days of the day the University receives a request for access. Students should聽submit to the registrar, dean, chair of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that person will advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student鈥檚 education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading or otherwise in violation of the student鈥檚 privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to amend such a record should write to the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record s/he wants changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the聽University decides not to amend the record as requested, the University will notify the student of the decision in writing and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Student requests for formal hearings must be made in writing to the academic vice president who,聽within a reasonable time of receiving such requests, will inform students of the date, place, and time of the hearing. The academic vice president, the vice聽president for student affairs, the associate dean for Graduate Programs, and the academic聽dean of the student鈥檚 college or school will constitute the hearing panels for聽challenges to the content of education records. Upon denial and subsequent appeal, if the University still decides not to amend the record, the student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student鈥檚 education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate聽educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University聽in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff聽position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney,聽auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the board of directors; or a聽student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.聽A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the University. Upon request, the University discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. The University may also disclose student information without consent during audits/evaluations, in connection with financial aid, during certain studies, to accrediting organizations, to comply with a judicial order, and during health and safety emergencies. The University may disclose student information to a student鈥檚 parent during health and safety emergencies, or when that student is a financial dependent of the parent, or when the student is under age 21 and has violated Federal, State, or local law, or any rule or policy of the University governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education聽concerning alleged failures by 糖心logo在线入口 to comply with the聽requirements of FERPA. Students may file complaints with The Family聽Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., S.W.,聽Washington, D.C. 20202-5901.
5.聽 The right to withhold directory information. The University has designated the following as directory information: student name, address (including e-mail聽address), telephone number, date and place of birth, photograph, major field of study, class year and enrollment status, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received,聽the most recent previous educational institution attended, participation in聽officially recognized activities and sports, and weights and heights of members聽of athletic teams. Students may refuse to allow the University to聽designate the above information about them as directory information by notifying聽the registrar in writing within two weeks after the first day of class for the聽fall semester. Students must submit an annual written notification of refusal to allow the designation of directory information.
6. The right to annual notification. The University must notify students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification is left to the discretion of the University.