The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. IU's compliance with this act can be found in policy USSS-05.
These rights include:
- 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 to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. 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 advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the University to amend a record that 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 or her 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.
- The right to provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.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 is a person employed by 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 University has contracted as its agent to provide a service (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, learning management system vendor (e.g., Canvas), or other contractor which has agreed to assume responsibility specifically for the security of student records in the capacity of a “school official”); 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 University. Upon request, the University may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. The month and year of date of birth will be disclosed only for purposes of law enforcement, health and safety, and identity verification. Finally, "public information" may be released freely unless the student files the appropriate form requesting that certain public information not be released. This form is available at the Office of the Registrar. "Public information" is limited to the following:
- Student's name
- University e-mail address
- Hometown City, State
- Major field of study
- Dates of attendance
- Admission or enrollment status (admitted, full-time, part-time)
- Campus
- School or division
- Class standing (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior)
- Degrees and awards
- Activities
- Sports and athletic information
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Indiana 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, DC 20202-5901
The Indiana University Policy on the Release of Student Information may be found here.