Notification of Student Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An eligible student under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older, or a student who attends a postsecondary institution at any age.) As provided in Miami University’s Family Education Rights and Privacy Act Policy, these rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Miami University (the “University”) receives a request for access.

   A student should submit to the office concerned (e.g. registrar, dean, head of the academic department, etc.) a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. A school official at the office concerned 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 school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct office to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

   A student who wishes to ask the University to amend a record should write the chief administrator of the office in which the records are maintained, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
   
   If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, then the University will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s 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 provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   

   The University discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official typically includes a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the University who performs an institutional service of function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the University. Upon request, the school also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. 

4. The right of nondisclosure of designated directory/public information.

   The University has designated the following items as directory/public information that may be released to the public without the student's consent: name, campus address, and campus email address (disclosure of student's home address is restricted to state, local or national elected officials for the purpose of sending congratulatory letters); place and date of birth; major field(s) of study, including the college, division, department or program in which the student is enrolled; enrollment status (undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time); dates of attendance; degrees, scholarships, honors, and awards, including President’s List, Dean’s List, honorary organizations and grade point average of students selected; most recent educational institution attended; photographic, video, or electronic images taken and maintained by the University; participation in officially recognized student organizations, activities, and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams.
   
   A student has the right to refuse to permit the designation of any or all of the categories of directory information. Any student wishing to exercise this right must inform the Office of the University Registrar in writing on or before July 15 of the categories of personally identifiable information that are not to be designated as directory information with respect to that student.

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.
   

   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.

Related Links:

• FERPA at MU