Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Notification of Rights Under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (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.

Students should submit to the Office of the Registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar 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 Office of the Registrar, the Registrar shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.

Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

FERPA was not intended to provide a process to be used to question substantive judgments which are correctly recorded. The rights of challenge are not intended to allow students to contest, for example, a grade in a course because they felt a higher grade should have been assigned.

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 a 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.

3. 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 school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school 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, collection agent, representative of the ISU Foundation or official of the National Student Clearinghouse); or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. 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 responsibility.

4. Generally, schools must have written permission from the student before releasing any information from a student's educational record. However, the law allows schools to disclose records, without consent of the student, to the following parties:

• University employees who have a legitimate need to know
• Parents of dependent students as defined by the Internal Revenue Code
• Persons who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies
• Accrediting organizations to carry out accrediting functions
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student
• Federal, State and local governmental officials for purposes authorized by law
• Individuals who have lawfully obtained court orders or subpoenas
• Organizations conducting educational studies for the University
• Other schools to which a student is applying or transferring
• Student’s high school or other schools previously attended (for evaluation purposes only)
• Courts during litigation between the University and the student or parent
• Victim of crime of violence after final results of a disciplinary hearing
• Public after disciplinary proceedings determine student committed crime of violence

5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

In many situations, complaints relative to FERPA can be resolved within the University on an informal basis. Any student who wishes to discuss a FERPA complaint may contact the Registrar, 214 Alumni Hall.

To file a FERPA complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, contact the Office that administers FERPA at:

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

For additional information, refer to the Iowa State University Confidential Information Policy.