Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law (20 U.S.C. 1232g) that protects the privacy of a student's听education records.听 A student is someone that has been accepted, matriculated, and enrolled (or a former student of) 禁漫天堂.听 An "eligible student" under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older, or who attends a post secondary institution.
FERPA Forms are located in JayWeb
If you are a prior student with a need to update your FERPA preferences, please send an email to the Office of Registration and Records (regandrec@etown.edu) for assistance
FERPA Rights
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The right to review and inspect his or her own education records.
An eligible student has the right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after 禁漫天堂 receives a request for access.听 The Office of Registration and Records is the custodian of your academic record.听 A student should submit to the Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect.听 The Office of Registration and Records will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.听 If the requested records are not maintained by the Office of Registration and Records, you will be advised of the appropriate records custodian to whom the request should be addressed.
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The right to request an amendment of the education record.
An eligible student has the right to seek amendment of the student's education records that the student believes to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise a violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA.听
- A student who wishes to ask the college to amend the record should write the records custodian responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record the student wishes to be amended, and specify why it should be changed.
- The college will, within a reasonable time after receipt of the request, determine whether to amend the record as requested.听听The student听will receive written notification of the research outcomes in writing.
- If the college reaches a decision not to amend the record as requested, the college will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student's right to a formal hearing regarding the request for amendment.听 Additional information will be provided to the student when notification of the right to a hearing is conveyed to the student.
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The right to provide written consent before personally identifiable information is disclosed, except when FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
An eligible student has the right to provide written consent before the college discloses personally identifiable information (PPI) from the student's education records, except to the extent FERPA authorizes disclosure without student consent. The college may disclose education records without a student's prior consent when authorized by FERPA, including to听"school officials" whom the college has determined to have "legitimate education interest".听听
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The right to file a complaint.
An eligible student has the right to file a complaint with the 听concerning alleged failures by 禁漫天堂 to comply with the requirements of FERPA.听 听
Important Terms
School Official
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. A school official can be a person: (1) employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement and health staff personnel); (2) members of听the Board of Trustees; (3)听 individuals employed by or under contract to the college to perform a specific task, such as, an agent, an attorney, an auditor, or an outsourced service provider; and (4)听a student representative on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or a student assisting another school official in performing assigned tasks.
Legitimate Educational Interest
An individual with a legitimate educational interest,听or "need to know",听serves in a capacity that requires the ability to听review student educational records for the purpose of performing assigned institutional research, or educational or administrative function of听the individual's听job description.
Education Record
An听"education record" is defined, with certain exceptions, as those records that are (1) directly related to the student; and (2) maintained by an educational agency or institution, or by a party acting on behalf of the agency or institution.听 This record may contain a student's name or information from which an individual student could be personally identified. Information in a student's academic record is considered private and, in most cases, cannot be released to another individual unless the student provides prior written consent.听There are circumstances听under which 禁漫天堂 can disclose information without a student's written consent.听 Such听occasions听are highlighted below under听the heading 'When does FERPA permit disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) without student consent?
Along with Directory Information, an academic record includes:
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- biographical data and address information听
- the admissions application and supporting documents
- a students academic record, including class schedules, grade reports, and transcripts
- athletic records
- counseling records
- disciplinary records
- public information records
- financial records
- health records
- placement credentials
- campus security records
- Community Living records
Academic Records do not include:
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- Sole possession records, such as private advising notes
- Law enforcement records
- Employment records, unless the employment is dependent on the employee's status as a student听
- Treatment/Medical records
- Alumni Records - records that only contain information about an individual student after they are no longer an enrolled student.听
Directory Information
Institutions may disclose a student's directory information without the student's听consent, and without violating FERPA, if the student has not restricted personal information.听
Directory Information includes:
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- name
- enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate; part-time or full-time)
- campus box
- campus email address
- local and home address
- local and home telephone numbers (including cell phone numbers)
- date and place of birth
- dates of attendance
- class, field of study, degree
- date of graduation
- activities
- honors
- awards
- participation in officially recognized sports and activities (including height and weight information of the athlete)
- photographs
- most recently attended institution
Request to Restrict Directory Information
Students may request to restrict the release of directory information ()听except to school officials with legitimate educational interest, which was defined above.听A student can complete and submit, a signed and dated request to the Office of Registration and Records, Zug Memorial Hall, Room 210. Should the student graduate, or elect to withdraw from the college, this restriction will remain in place until revoked by the student.听听
Non-disclosure and Graduation听
If a student has exercised the right to non-disclosure of directory information, the National Student Clearinghouse and the college听are prohibited from disclosing degree completion听to prospective employers.听Students are听reminded that they can amend听their听FERPA rights at anytime by submitting any of the above forms to the Office of Registration and Records. 听
When does FERPA permit disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) without student consent?
FEPRA permits the disclosure of PII for student's education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in 搂99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Exceptions include 鈥�.
The institution may disclose PII from the educational records without obtaining prior written consent of an eligible student:
- To other school officials whom the college has determined to have legitimate educational interests.听These include contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the college has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that certain conditions are met. [搂99.31(a)(1)]
- To officials of another college or college where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student鈥檚 enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of 搂99.34. [搂99.31(a)(2)]
- To authorized representatives of the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as a state post-secondary authority that is responsible for supervising the college鈥檚 State-supported education programs. Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of 搂99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf. [搂搂99.31(a)(3) and 99.35]
- In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid. [搂99.31(a)(4)]
- To certain State and local officials or authorities when authorized by State statute in certain cases. [搂99.31(a)(5)]
- To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the college, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction. [搂99.31(a)(6)]
- To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions. [搂99.31(a)(7)]
- To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes. [搂99.31(a)(8)]
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. [搂99.31(a)(9)]
- To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to 搂99.36. [搂99.31(a)(10)]
- When it is information the college has designated as 鈥渄irectory information鈥� under 搂99.37. [搂99.31(a)(11)]
- To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, subject to the requirements of 搂99.39. The disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding with respect to that alleged crime or offense, regardless of the finding. [搂99.31(a)(13)]
- To the general public, the final results of a disciplinary proceeding, subject to the requirements of 搂99.39, if the college determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of the college鈥檚 rules or policies with respect to the allegation made against him or her. [搂99.31(a)(14)]
- To parents of a student regarding the student鈥檚 violation of any Federal, State, or local law, or of any rule or policy of the college, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the college determines the student committed a disciplinary violation and the student is under the age of 21. [搂99.31(a)(15)]
- The disclosure concerns sex offenders and other individuals required to register under section 17010 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
FERPA for Families
FERPA reference听 for families.provided by the U.S. Department of Education,.
FERPA for Instructional Staff, Faculty and Advisors
FERPA reference for Instructional Staff, Faculty and Advisors. provided by the U.S. Department of Education.听听
FERPA Training
Registration and Records will coordinate new hire and annual training to our community in collaboration with Human Resources.听听 If you are requesting training, please email us at regandrec@etown.edu with 'FERPA TRAINING REQUEST' in the subject line.