Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

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

These rights include:

  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 Registrar, Dean of Faculty, Academic Dean, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official to whom the request was submitted shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

  2. The right to request the University to correct records which the student believes to be inaccurate or misleading. The students 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. 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/her right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible 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’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

Under the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, students have the right to withhold the disclosure of Directory Information. Students should consider very carefully the consequences of any decision to withhold Directory Information. Should a student decide to inform the institution not to release Directory Information, any future requests for such information from non- institutional persons or organizations will be refused.

The institution will honor requests to withhold the information listed below but cannot assume responsibility to contact students for subsequent permission to release them. The institution assumes no liability for honoring instructions that such information be withheld.

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 security personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); 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. Upon request, the University discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. [NOTE: FERPA requires an institution to make a reasonable attempt to notify the student of the records request unless the institution states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request.]

FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR & 99.31):

  • School officials with legitimate educational interest;
  • Other schools to which a student is transferring;
  • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
  • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
  • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
  • Accrediting organizations;
  • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
  • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
  • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

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. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue SW

Washington, DC 20202-4605

 

As required by FERPA, Limestone University hereby informs current students of its intent to respond to legitimate, third-party requests for the following information:

  1. legal name(s) during periods of attendance;
  2. date and place of birth;
  3. dates of attendance and actual or projected date of graduation;
  4. degrees awarded and honors received, including the dean’s list and honor roll; and
  5. participation in officially recognized activities and intercollegiate sports.

For official University publications and certain types of news media releases, “directory information” includes:

  1. legal name and address of the student;
  2. name and address of the parent(s), spouse, or legal guardian;
  3. date and place of birth;
  4. major field of study;
  5. participation in officially recognized activities and sports;
  6. weights and heights of members of athletic teams;
  7. dates of attendance, honors and awards received, enrollment status, and the most recent previous educational institution attended by the student; and
  8. photographs made by the University or photographers under contract to the University, including candid photography. This information may be released to anyone at any time unless the student requests, in writing to the Registrar, that such information be withheld. Students who have questions or who wish to withhold permission to publish certain information should write the registrar’s office.

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