The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:
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 may request to inspect their records from the appropriate records custodian. The Office of Student Records and Registration will provide assistance in identifying the correct official to whom requests should be directed.
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 consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. School officials are individuals employed by the University as researchers, teachers, advisors, counselors, placement personnel, deans, department chairs, administrative officials responsible for some part of the academic enterprise or one of the supporting activities; support staff and student personnel employed to assist university officials in the management of educational records; a person, company or agency with whom the University has contracted for a service; college or University committees (including student members), a person or company with whom Michigan Tech has contracted (such as an auditor, attorney, or collection agent).
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 responsibility.
The University may disclose education records in certain other circumstances which are noted in the full text of Michigan Tech's Privacy and Release of Student Educational Records policy.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the 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, 20202-4605
FERPA further provides that certain information designated as "Directory Information", concerning the student may be released by the University unless the student has informed the University that such information should not be released.
The University designates the following as public or "Directory Information": The student's name, address, telephone number, electronic mail address, hometown, age, college, major field of study, class (senior, junior, sophomore, freshmen), student status; full-time or part-time registration or not currently enrolled, student level; undergraduate/graduate, dates of attendance, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, leadership positions at Michigan Tech, weight and height of athletic team members, specific athletic achievements, MTU job title, degrees and awards received, academic and other honors, most recent previous school attended and parent/guardian names in conjunction with university awards/recognition.
As a matter of normal practice, Michigan Technological University does not sell or release "Directory Information" to commercial third parties, unless required to do so by law.
Students may restrict the release of "Directory Information", except to school officials with legitimate educational interests and others as indicated above. To do so, a student must file a request to withhold directory information form with the Office of Student Records and Registration. Once filed, this request becomes a permanent part of the student's record until the student instructs the University, in writing, to have the request removed.
Questions about FERPA may be directed to Michigan Technological University, Office of Student Records and Registration, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931-1295. The complete policy is available on the Office of Student Records and Registration website at http://www.admin.mtu.edu/em/osrr/privacy/