Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notification of Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.

They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.

    

2. Students should submit to the Registrar, Dean, Head of the Academic Department, or other appropriate official, written request that identify the record(s) they wish 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 official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

    

3. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights.

   Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

   If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

    

4. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

   One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to University officials with legitimate educational interests. A University official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Higher Education; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another University official in performing his or her tasks. a University official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

   Upon request, the University discloses education records without a student's consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

    

5. The right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of the following categories of personally identifiable information as directory information, at which is not subject to the above restrictions on disclosure:
   1. name, campus address, home address, telephone listing and campus e-mail address.
   2. state of residence
   3. age, date, and place of birth
   4. sex and marital status
   5. name of advisor
   6. name andaddress of parent(s)
   7. major field of study, including the college, division, department, or program in which the student is enrolled
   8. classification as a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student, or by number referring to such cases
      
   9. participation in officially recognized activities and sports
   10. weight and height of members of athletic teams
   11. dates of attendance and graduation, and degrees received
   12. the most recent educational institutional attended
   13. honors and awards received, including selection to a Dean's list or honorary organization, and the grade point average of students selected
   14. photographic, video or electronic images of students taken and maintained by the University

   Any student wishing to exercise this right must inform the University Registrar in writing no later than the10th class day of the semester, of the categories of personally identifiable information which are not to be designated as directory information with respect to that student.

    

6. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by MSU to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   600 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, DC 20202-4605

[Reviewed February 2012]