Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.
- A student has the right to inspect and review (subject to certain restrictions provided by the act) education records relative to himself/herself which are maintained by the University. A student desiring access to his/her records should submit a formal request for access to the Office of the Registrar or to the custodian of the records in question. The request must be in writing, signed by the student and must be personally delivered to the Office of the Registrar or to the custodian of the records in question by the student making the request. The student must present satisfactory personal identification to provide assurance that unauthorized persons do not obtain access to student records.
- Personally identifiable information from student records may not be disclosed to third parties (except that certain classes of information may be disclosed to certain individuals and agencies as defined in the act) without prior written consent of the student.
- A student may seek the correction of educational records that are inaccurate or inappropriate, through established procedures.
- A student who has followed the procedures outlined by the University for compliance with this act and who feels that his/her rights, granted by the act, have been violated is entitled to file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office.
Southern Utah University maintains the following educational records in the locations indicated which are subject to this act:
| Type of Record | Custodian | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| Records of Credit, Registration and Admissions | Registrar | Registrar's and Admissions Offices |
| Behavioral Disciplinary and Probationary Proceedings | Vice President for Student Services | Vice President for Student Services |
| Academic Disciplinary and Probationary Proceedings | Registrar | Registrar's Office |
| Housing Rules Violations | Director of Housing & Residence Life | Housing & Residence Life Office and/or Vice President for Student Services |
| Financial Aid | Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships | Financial Aid & Scholarships Office |
| Scholarship Awards | Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships | Financial Aid & Scholarships Office |
| Placement Records | Director of Career Services | Career Services Office |
| Health Records | Director of Student Health Services | Wellness Center |
| Interest and Aptitude Tests, Personality Inventory | Executive Director of the Student Success Center | Student Success Center |
| College of Education & Human Development Entrance Examinations | Dean of College of Education & Human Development | Office of Dean of College of Education & Human Development |
| Graduation Worksheets | Registrar | Registrar's Office |
| Departmental Progress Reports and Pre-Professional Evaluations | Department Chair | Offices of Department Chair |
Education records will not be maintained by the University in all of the categories listed above for all students who enroll at SUU.
The act allows the University to disclose "Directory" information without the prior, written consent of students. The University considers the following personally identifiable, student information to be directory information and may elect to disclose it without further notice.
- Name
- Local and Permanent Address
- Telephone Numbers
- E-mail Address
- Class Rank (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Graduate)
- Courses of Study (major, minor, concentration)
- Degrees and Certificates Awarded
- Honors, Awards, Activities and Affiliations
- Enrollment Status
- Student Image
Enrolled students who do not wish directory information relating to themselves to be disclosed must so state in a written communication. This statement must be delivered to the Office of the Registrar before 5 p.m. on the second Monday following registration for the term.
For Southern Utah University’s policy on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), go to the SUU website: http://www.suu.edu/pub/policies/pdf/pp547family.pdf
For more information on FERPA, see the U.S. Department of Education website: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OII/fpco/ferpa/