PURPOSE / SCOPE:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) provides eligible students certain rights with respect to their educational records. This policy provides the necessary guidance on what the policy contains.
DEFINITIONS:
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA/PL 93-380)
- Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
POLICY:
Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) may release certain directory information of its students. In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA/PL 93-380), ICOM considers the following information to be directory information, name, academic majors and minors, academic classification, and e-mail address. Additional information may be released by obtaining a signed waiver from the student such as, the student’s address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, yearbook pictures, dates of attendance, degrees, awards received, most recent or previous educational institution attended, student’s photograph, student’s ID number, and enrollment status (e.g. undergraduate or graduate; full-time or part-time).
The ICOM Registrar is responsible for the safekeeping of all ICOM student academic records.
Student’s transcripts and permanent records are defined by FERPA as “educational records” and they are electronically stored on a secured protected server indefinitely and in the Registrar’s Office of ICOM. The student’s record contains their transcript from ICOM, transcripts and transcript evaluations from other educational agencies attended by the student, the student’s application for admission, general correspondence with the student, and if applicable, letters concerning misconduct. The student may make an appointment to examine the transcript and contents of their permanent record with the Registrar.
FERPA regulations restrict access of a student’s educational record and academic information to those who have a legitimate educational need to know. ICOM guarantees each student certain rights in compliance with FERPA. These rights include:
- The right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days after ICOM receives the request for access.
- The right to request the amendment of their educational record that they believe is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their privacy rights under FERPA. Any amendments should be made in writing to ICOM’s Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed and why it should be changed.
- The right to provide written consent prior to ICOM disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions. 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, FERPA requires ICOM to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures. ICOM may disclose PII from education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student in the following circumstances:
- School officials with legitimate educational interest;
- Other schools to which a student is transferring;
- Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
- Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
- Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
- Accrediting organizations;
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
- Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
- State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law.
- Request nondisclosure of directory information without prior consent. (Source: The FERPA Answer Book for Higher Education, 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.) ICOM will receive and consider any eligible student’s request to exercise these rights. Eligible students requesting hearings concerning amendments must make these requests in writing.
Exceptions to FERPA regulations include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The health and safety emergency exception states that the institution may disclose PII from an education record to appropriate parties including parents in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals.
ICOM defines officials with access to the student’s educational records as the President, Chief Academic Officer, Academic Deans, Registrar, Associate Dean for Student Services, and designees of these ICOM officials with a legitimate educational interest in the record.
More information in relation to FERPA can be found at: http://ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/students.html
Any student has the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by ICOM to comply with FERPA requirements. Complaints regarding FERPA may be made with the following agency:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
Phone: 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)
ICOM provides FERPA training to all matriculated students during orientation. Additionally, students are required to complete annual FERPA training through compliance modules offered through CollaborNation. Records of completion are maintained by the Office of Student Affairs.
POLICY OWNER
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
APPROVAL:
Effective: 8/1/18
Last Reviewed: 3/15/23
Review Requirement: 3 Years