The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
is legislation which guarantees to students certain rights regarding
the student’s educational records.
To
download the pdf of this information click here.
Student rights include:
| 1. |
The
right to inspect and review your educational records. |
| 2. |
The right
to request amendment of education records the student believes
are inaccurate. |
| 3. |
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. |
| 4. |
The right
to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint
concerning alleged failures by Mount Mercy College to comply
with the requirements of FERPA. |
Directory
or public information
At
its discretion, Mount Mercy College may provide “directory
information” in accordance with the provisions of the Family
Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Directory information
is defined as that information which would not generally be considered
harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Designated directory
information at Mount Mercy College includes the following: student
name, local and permanent addresses and telephone numbers, email
addresses, dates of attendance, classification (i.e. freshman),
full-time or part-time status, class schedule, major field of
study, awards, honors (including dean’s list), degree(s)
conferred (including dates), previous institutions attended, photographs,
past and present participation in officially recognized sports
and activities, physical factors (height, weight of athletes),
date and place of birth and hometown.
Students may block the public disclosure of directory information
by notifying the Office of Student Development, 100 McAuley and
filing the appropriate request to block disclosure form during
the appropriate time frame. Students should carefully consider
the consequences of a decision to withhold directory information.
Regardless of the effect on the student, the institution assumes
no liability for honoring the student’s instruction to withhold
directory information. The block disclosure will remain in place
until a written revocation is submitted by the student.
Release
of non-directory information
Students
may request non-directory information in their educational records
be released through authorization, in writing, and specifically
including the student name, recipient’s name, which record
to release and the signature of the student. Examples would include
the request to send an academic transcript or the request to release
grades to a parent of a student.
Exceptions under FERPA
Mount
Mercy may disclose, without consent, personally identifiable information
contained in the student’s education records to school officials
with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a
person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory,
academic, research or support staff position (including safety
personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the
College has contracted; a person serving on the Board of Regents;
or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary
or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in
performing his or her tasks.
More information
on FERPA can be obtained from the U.S.
Department of Education website: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OM/fpco/ferpa/index.html
