Notification of Student Rights Under FERPA

Idaho State University in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), is responsible for protecting and maintaining the privacy of student records and judiciously evaluating requests for release of information from those records. FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are:

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

1. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Students should ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They 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 or misleading. 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 or 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.

1. 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. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is defined as a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a person 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.

1. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Idaho State University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
   • Family Policy Compliance Office
   • U.S. Department of Education
   • 400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   • Washington, DC 20202-4604

Notice of Directory Information

FERPA authorizes the release of “Directory Information” without the student’s prior consent under certain conditions which are set forth in the Act. Idaho State University has defined its “Directory Information” as follows:

• Student name
• Address listings
• Telephone listings
• Photograph
• E-mail address
• Dates of attendance
• Enrollment status
• Class level
• Full-Time/Part-Time status
• College
• Major field of study
• Degree types and dates
• Club and athletic participation records
• Height and weight of members of athletic teams
• Scholarships Awarded
• High-School attended

Students may restrict access to their directory information by notifying the Registrar in writing; please note that such withholding requests are binding for all information to all parties other than for educational purposes. Students should consider all aspects of a Directory Hold prior to filing such a request. Although the initial request may be filed at any time, the restriction of information is permanent until you request, in writing, that it be removed. The restriction will remain in place even after you have stopped attending or have graduated from Idaho State University.

At Idaho State University, students who wish to restrict access to all of their directory information, as listed above, may do so by returning a Student Non-Disclosure Declaration Of Education Record to the Registrar.  Please understand that placing a full Non-Disclosure hold on your student records will cause any and all future requests for contact information from ISU persons, on non-essential matters, and from non-institutional persons and organizations, including scholarship organizations, prospective employers, etc., to be denied.

Students’ permission must be obtained before releasing non-directory information. However, FERPA allows disclosure without student consent to:

• School faculty and staff who have a need to know to fulfill their official responsibilities.
• Other schools to which a student is transferring.
• Accrediting organizations.
• Organizations doing certain studies for or on behalf of the University.
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student.
• Parents when a student over 18 is still a dependent.
• Certain government officials in connection with local, state or federally-supported education programs.
• Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas.
• Faculty and school officials who have a need to know concerning disciplinary action taken against a student.
• Persons who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies when necessary to protect the health and safety of the student and/or others.
• State and local authorities to whom disclosure is required by state laws.

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education's FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records including Social Security Number, grades, or other private information may be assessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities ("Federal and State Authorities") may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to the third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal or state supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is "principally engaged in the provision of education," such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

FERPA gives certain rights to parents regarding their children's educational records at the primary and secondary level. These rights transfer to the student upon reaching 18 years of age or attending any school beyond the secondary level.

A student may grant release of his or her student education records to designated individuals by contacting the University Registrar. An individual granted access to student educational records by the student may be permitted access to the specified educational record information but may not act on the student's behalf except in emergency situations.

Documents that a student does not have a right to see include:

• Financial information submitted by parents.
• Confidential letters and recommendations placed in the student's file before 01/01/75.
• Confidential letters, etc., associated with admissions, employment, job placement or honors to which a student has waived rights of inspection and review.
• Educational records containing information about other students such as grades, test scores, etc.