Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Annually, Ottawa University informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended. This act, with which the institution intends to comply fully, was designated to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their education records and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with FERPA concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the act. FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

  • 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 a written request to the campus executive officer, associate dean, registrar, or other designated official that identifies the record(s) to be inspected. 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 refer the student to the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
  • The right to request amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the University to amend a record 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/her right to a hearing regarding the request fo amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
  • 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, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health staff). An official is also a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent). A school official is a person serving on the Board of Trustees or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record to fulfill his/her professional responsibility.
  • The right to file a complaint with the United States Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Ottawa 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, D.C. 20202-5901

800-872-5327

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 has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review and education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities. A school official is defined as:

  • A person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff and coaches).
  • A person or company with whom the university has entered into a contract or agreement to provide a service instead of using university employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agency, National Student Clearinghouse) to perform said service.
  • A member of the Board of Trustees.
  • A student serving on an official committee or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks (including student tutors).

The items listed in Categories I, II and III, below are designated as “directory information” and may be released for any purpose at the discretion of our institution. Under the provisions of FERPA, students have the right to withhold the disclosure of any or all the categories of directory information. Consider carefully the consequences of any decision to withhold any category of directory information, however, as future requests for such information from non-institutional persons or organizations will be refused. Ottawa University will honor a request to withhold any of the categories listed below but cannot assume responsibility to contact you for subsequent permission to release them. Regardless of the effect upon the student, the institution assumes no liability for honoring a student’s instruction that such information be withheld.

Category I:

Name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of student and parent. Dates of attendance, classification, course schedule, class lists, and photographs.

Category II:

Previous institution(s) attended; major field of study; awards, honors, degrees conferred (including dates).

Category III:

Past and present participation in officially recognized athletics and activities; physical factors (height, weight of athletes); date and place of birth. Additional information on policy and procedures may be found in the student handbook and/or in the Office of the Registrar.