The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. See paragraph 6 below on students’ right to prevent the disclosure of directory information.
The FERPA rights of students are as follows:
Students have the right to inspect and review their education records. 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. If the records are not maintained by the college official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
All requests shall be granted or denied in writing within 45 days of receipt. If the request is granted, the student will be notified of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the request is denied or not responded to within 45 days, the student may appeal to the college’s FERPA appeals officer. Additional information regarding the appeal procedures will be provided if a request is denied.
Students have the right to request an amendment of their education records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the college to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. Students should write to the college 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 college decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the college will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his/her right to a hearing before the college’s FERPA appeals officer regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided when the student is notified of his/her right to a hearing.
Students have the right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to college officials with legitimate educational interests. A college official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position; a person or company with whom the University has contracted; 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 college official in performing his or her tasks.
A college official has a legitimate educational interest if access is reasonably necessary in order to perform his/her instructional, research, administrative, or other duties and responsibilities. Upon request, the college discloses education records without consent to officials of another college or school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
Students may appeal the alleged denial of FERPA rights to:
General Counsel and Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs
The City University of New York
535 East 80th Street
New York, NY 10021
Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605
The college will make the following “directory information” concerning current and former students available to those parties having a legitimate interest in the information: name, attendance dates (periods of enrollment), address, telephone number, date and place of birth, photograph, e-mail address, full- or part-time status, enrollment status (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), level of education (credits) completed, major field of study, degree enrolled for, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, height and weight of athletic team members, previous schools attended, and degrees, honors, and awards received. By filing a form with the Registrar’s Office, students may request that any or all of this directory information not be released without their prior written consent. This form is available in the Registrar’s Office and may be filed, withdrawn, or modified at any time.