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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

FERPA

FERPA:  The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act outlines the rights University of Arkansas Rich Mountain students have with regard to their education records.

Annual Notice of Student Rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

A student at UA Rich Mountain has the following rights with regard to his/her education records:

  • To inspect and review all education records pertaining to the student within 45 days of the day the College receives a written request for access.  Students should submit to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect.  The College official will arrange for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records to be inspected.  If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advice the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
  • The following information, considered directory information, will be subject to public disclosure unless the student informs the Student Affairs Office in writing that he/she does not want any information designated as directory information.
  • Student’s name
  • Address
  • Telephone number
  • Electronic mailing list
  • Photograph
  • Date and place of birth
  • Major field of study
  • Dates of attendance
  • Grade level
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • Degrees, honors, and awards received
  • Student ID number, user ID number, or other unique personal identifier used to communicate in electronic systems that cannot be used to access education records without a PIN, password, etc. (A student’s SSN, in whole or in part, cannot be used for this purpose.)

All students must inform the Student Affairs Office of their request in writing.  This request will remain in effect until lifted by the student in writing.  In the event of such a request, this data will be treated as student records information.

The Solomon Amendment requires the University to provide directory information to military recruiters except in those instances when the student has requested that directory information not be released.  FERPA allows disclosure of educational records without the consent in connection with, but not limited to:

  • Compliance with a court order or lawfully issued subpoena
  • To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency
  • To officials of another school, upon request, in which the student seeds to enroll
  • In connection with a student’s request to receive financial aid, as necessary to determine eligibility, or to enforce the terms and conditions of aid
  • To officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and state and local authorities in connection with the state and federal educational programs.
  • To accrediting organizations carrying out their functions
  • To certain organizations carrying on their studies on behalf of the University
  • The results of an institutional disciplinary proceeding against the alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence to the alleged victim of that crime with respect to that crime
  • To the National Student Clearinghouse for the purpose of data collection

The College will honor a student’s request to withhold directory information but cannot assume responsibility to contact him/her for subsequent permission to release the hold.  Regardless of the effect upon the student, the institution assumes no liability for honoring his/her instructions that such information be withheld.  For additional information on details of the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act,” please contact the Student Affairs Office.

Please consider very carefully the consequences of any decision to withhold – Directory of Public Information.  Should one decide to request the College not to release “Directory or Public Information,” any future request for such information from non-institutional persons or organizations will be refused.

  • To request the amendment of his/her education records to ensure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of his/her privacy or other rights.  Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading.  They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
  • If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his/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.
  • To consent the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in his/her 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 educational interests.  A school official is defined as a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, support, or clerical staff position; a person or company with whom the College has contracted; a person serving on the UA Rich Mountain Board of Trustees; member(s) of an accrediting association; or a person assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks.  A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his/her professional responsibility.

  • To file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  The name and address is:

    Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland AVE. SW
    Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

For more information concerning rights under FERPA, please come to the Student Affairs Office in the Maddox Building.

Link to more information on FERPA: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html