Notification of Rights Under FERPA

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Notification of Rights Under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

(1)The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access.

A student should submit to the Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The request must be made in person and the student will be required to present appropriate identification. The Registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

(2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

A student who wishes to ask the College to amend a record should write the Registrar, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, the College will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s 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 provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

The College 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 is a person employed by the College or the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using College employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); 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 or her tasks.

A school 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 College or University.

Upon request, the College also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks to enroll.

Also in accordance with FERPA, Barnard has the right to make public, at its discretion and without prior authorization from the student, the following information: name; class; home or college address and telephone number; email address; major field; date and place of birth; dates of attendance at Barnard; degrees; honors and awards received; previous school most recently attended; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; and photograph. . The law also gives students the right to place limitations on the release of this information. A student who wishes to have directory information withheld must notify the Registrar each year by September 15.

(4) 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 is:

Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-5901

More information on FERPA is available in the College’s Policy and Guidelines Regarding Student Records Under FERPA.

Effective Date: August 2011