Notification of Student Rights Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They 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 Office of the Registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar 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 Office of the Registrar, the Registrar shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
The student should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record he or she wants changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. FERPA was not intended to provide a process to be used to question substantive judgments which are correctly recorded. The rights of challenge are not intended to allow students to contest, for example, a grade in a course because they felt a higher grade should have been assigned. 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.
3. The right to consent in writing to disclosures of personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. For purposes of compliance with FERPA, the University considers all students, regardless of age or tax dependency status to be independent. Therefore, educational records will not be provided to parents without the written consent of the student, except where one or more of the exceptions below applies.
One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to University Officials with legitimate educational interests. A University Official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff). University Officials also include any contractor, consultant, volunteer, or other party to whom the University has outsourced institutional services or functions where the outside party performs an institutional service or function for which the University would otherwise use employees, is under the direct control of the University with respect to the use and maintenance of education records, and is subject to the requirements of FERPA governing the use and re-disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records. Examples include, but are not limited to: attorneys, auditors, collection agents, officials of the National Student Clearinghouse; persons serving on the Board of Trustees; Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadre members (limited to their relationship with students enrolled in the ROTC program and/or enrolled in ROTC courses); and students serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A University Official 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.
Some other exceptions or circumstances when the University may disclose education records include:
· to comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena;
· to appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency;
· to officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer;
· in connection with a student's request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount, or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid;
· to authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or certain State and local educational authorities. Disclosures under this provision may be made in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf;
· to accrediting organizations to carry out their functions;
· to organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the University in order to develop, validate, or administer predictive tests, administer student aid programs or improve instruction;
· the results of an institutional disciplinary proceeding against the alleged of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense may be released to the alleged victim of that crime with respect to that crime or offense;
· the final results of a disciplinary proceeding may be released to the general public if the University determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of the school’s rules or policies with respect to the allegation made against him or her;
· notification to parents or guardians of a student regarding the student’s violation of any Federal, State, or local law, or of any rule or policy of the school, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the school determines the student committed a disciplinary violation and the student is under the age of 21.
4. The University also may disclose Directory Information without a student's prior written consent under the circumstance enumerated below. The University reserves the right to determine when and to whom it is appropriate to release Directory Information in response to third party requests. Any release of information deemed to be appropriate by the University will only occur as follows:
a. The following categories of Directory Information may be disclose to anyone:
· Name
· NetID
· PeopleSoft Number
· School or College
· Major Field of Study
· Degree Sought
· Student Level
· Degrees, Honors & Awards Received
· Residency/Match Information (medical/dental students)
· Dates of Attendance
· Participation in Officially Recognized Activities and Sports
· Weight and Height of NCAA Interscholastic Athletic Team Members and Other Similar Information Including Performance Statistics
· Photographic Likenesses and Video of Athletic Team Members
· For Student Employees, Employing Department & Dates of Employment
b. In addition to the categories in a. above, the following categories of Directory Information will be disclose only to the UConn Co-Op, UConn Foundation, UConn Law School Foundation and/or the UConn Alumni Association:
· Date of Birth
· Addresses (email and physical)
· Telephone Number
c. In addition, any member of the University community with a NetIDmay access student email addresses, as long as the access is for University-related purposes. However, such individuals may not use any student emails accessed through this process for commercial processes or otherwise in violation of other University policies or applicable state or federal law.
5. Students may restrict the release of Directory Information, except to school officials with legitimate educational interests and others as indicated above. To do so, a student must make the request in writing to:
Office of the Registrar
Wilbur Cross Building
Unit 4077
Storrs, CT 06269-4077
Such requests shall apply only to subsequent actions by the University. Once filed, this request becomes a permanent part of the student's record until the student instructs the University, in writing, to have the request removed.
6. Students have 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
Complaints may also be filed with the University’s Compliance Office by calling the Assistant Director of Compliance/Privacy at (860) 486-5256 or online at https://www.compliance-helpline.com/uconncares.jsp.
More information regarding FERPA and student records at the University of Connecticut can be found on the Office of the Registrar FERPA page: http://ferpa.uconn.edu/.
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) requires colleges and Universities that participate in federal student financial aid programs to disclose certain information to current and prospective students, and University employees. A website was developed to provide these disclosures in one coherent location. Please go to www.heoa.uconn.edu to view this important information.
Last Updated: February 12, 2015
For more information, contact: Office of the Registrar at 8604863331