Disciplinary Records and FERPA
The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law passed in 1974 also known as the Buckley Amendment. Although FERPA contains exceptions for the release of "directory information" without a student's prior written consent, students have the right to request that even such directory information not be disclosed.
FERPA gives students the right to do the following:
- Control the disclosure of their education records to others.
- Inspect and review their own education records.
- Challenge the content of their education records.
Disciplinary records are maintained in confidentiality in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Written authorization through the Disciplinary FERPA Release Form (PDF) must be provided by the student in order for disciplinary records to be disclosed to another person. Please note that the Office of Community Standards uses a different release form from the general University FERPA waiver form that applies to academics and financial information. Parents should also visit the Office of Community Standards' Information for Families.
Parental Notification
Disciplinary records are maintained in confidentiality in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). However, in cases where there has been a responsible finding for an alcohol or drug violation for students under the age of 21, parents will be notified. The notification will be in the form of a letter from the Office of Community Standards.
Records Expungement
At any time after seven years from the date of the finding in which a sanction of suspension was imposed, a student or former student may petition the Dean of Students or designee to have their disciplinary record expunged. Alternatively, if a student withdraws from Miami University while an investigation or adjudication process is active, and seven or more years have passed since the initial incident, the former student may petition the Dean of Students or designee to have their disciplinary record of the investigation and/or hearing expunged.
The decision to expunge will be based on the severity of the violation(s), the person’s disciplinary record as a whole, and evidence of good behavior since the violation(s). If the student’s disciplinary record is expunged, any notation of a disciplinary suspension will be removed from the official academic record maintained by the Office of the University Registrar.
A student who has been dismissed from the University may not request to have their record expunged. However, the Vice President for Student Life has authority to expunge the record and remove the notation in extraordinary circumstances, seven academic years following the date the finding was made.