What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) helps protect the privacy of student records. The Act provides for the right to inspect and review educational records, the right to seek to amend those records and to limit disclosure of information for the records. The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding.

Who is protected under FERPA?
Students who are currently enrolled in higher education institutions or formerly enrolled regardless of their age or status in regard to parental dependency. The Act defines an "eligible student" as one who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution.

What are educational records?
Those records directly related to a student and maintained by the institution or by a party acting for the institution are defined as "educational records." Records not considered "educational records" are those kept in the sole possession of the maker, are used only as a personal memory aid, and are not accessible or revealed to any other person; law enforcement or campus security records used solely for law enforcement purposes; employment paperwork; records relating to treatment by a physician, psychiatrist or other recognized health professional; records created or obtained after the person is no longer a student at Manchester (i.e. alumni records).

Who is entitled to student information?

- The student and any outside party who has the student's written consent
- Schools officials who have "legitimate educational interests"
- Agents acting on behalf of the University
- To comply with a judicial order or subpoena, including ex parte orders under the USA Patriot Act
- Parents of a dependent student as defined by the IRS

Student Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution.) These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Manchester University receives a request for access. A student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The school 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 school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
   
   
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to ask Manchester University to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, the school 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 University discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Manchester 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 Manchester University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of Manchester University who performs an institutional service of function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist 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 Manchester University. 
   
   
4. The right to withhold directory information—items generally considered to be public information. The following items may be made available at the institution’s discretion and without student authorization unless students notify the Registrar’s Office by the first day of Fall Semester classes each year that they wish this information be withheld. Directory information includes:

   -name
   -mailing address (home and campus)
   -Manchester e-mail address
   -telephone numbers (home, cell, and campus)
   -major field of study
   -classification and enrollment status
   -dates of attendance
   -date of graduation and degrees conferred
   -honors and awards
   -date and place of birth
   -activities and athletic team participation
   -physical factors (weight and height of student athletes)
   
   

5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Manchester 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

Disclosures of Personally Identifiable Information without Student Consent

FERPA permits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from students' education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in §99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, §99.32 of FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures. A postsecondary institution may disclose personally identifiable information from the education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student:

• To other school officials, including teachers, within Manchester University whom the school has determined to have legitimate educational interests. This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that the conditions listed in §99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(1) - (a)(1)(i)(B)(2) are met. (§99.31(a)(1))
  
  
• To officials of another school where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of §99.34. (§99.31(a)(2))
  
  
• To authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as a State postsecondary authority that is responsible for supervising the university’s State-supported education programs. Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of §99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of personally identifiable information to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf. (§§99.31(a)(3) and 99.35)
  
  
• In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid. (§99.31(a)(4))
  
  
• To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction. (§99.31(a)(6))
  
  
• To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions. ((§99.31(a)(7))
  
  
• To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes. (§99.31(a)(8))
  
  
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. (§99.31(a)(9))
  
  
• To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to §99.36. (§99.31(a)(10))
  
  
• Information the school has designated as “directory information” under §99.37. (§99.31(a)(11))
  
  
• To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, subject to the requirements of §99.39. The disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding with respect to that alleged crime or offense, regardless of the finding. (§99.31(a)(13))
  
  
• To the general public, the final results of a disciplinary proceeding, subject to the requirements of §99.39, if the school determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of the school’s rules or policies with respect to the allegation made against him or her. (§99.31(a)(14))
  
  
• To parents of a student regarding the student’s violation of any Federal, State, or local law, or of any rule or policy of the school, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the school determines the student committed a disciplinary violation and the student is under the age of 21. (§99.31(a)(15))

FERPA Annual Notice Addendum

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education's FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records - including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information - may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities ("Federal and State Authorities" may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal-or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is "principally engaged in the provision of education," such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your eduation records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

Questions concerning FERPA should be referred to the Office of the Registrar located in the Administration Building room 134, by email (registrar@manchester.edu) or by phone at 260-982-5234.