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STUDENT LIFE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

  • General Regulations
  • Student Grievance
  • Discrimination
  • Student Educational
       Records



  • Student Educational Records

    1.- Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act (FERPA)
    2.- Directory Information
    3.- Access to File
    4.- Challenge to Record
    5.- Copies
    6.- Complaints

    1.- Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act (FERPA)

    The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g, and the Texas Public Information Act, Texas Government Code, Section 552.001 et seq., are respectively a federal and state law that provide for the review and disclosure of student educational records. In accordance with these laws, the University has adopted the following policy. Individuals are informed of their rights under these laws through this policy that is included in the University Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP), the Undergraduate Studies Catalog, and the Graduate Studies Catalog. The University catalog will be made available for inspection through the Dean of Students' Office and HOPs are available in the University Library and most administrative offices.

    The University will not permit access to or the release of personally identifiable information contained in student education records without the written consent of the student to any party, except as authorized by FERPA. FERPA's authorization for release without consent include the following:

    1. to appropriate university officials who require access to educational records in order to perform their legitimate educational duties;
    2. to officials of other schools in which the student seeks or intends to enroll, upon request of these officials, and upon the condition that the student be notified and receive a copy of the record if desired;
    3. to federal, state, or local officials or agencies authorized by law;
    4. in connection with a student's application for, or receipt of, financial aid;
    5. to accrediting organizations or organizations conducting educational studies, provided that these organizations do not release personally identifiable data and destroy such data when it is no longer needed for the purpose it was obtained;
    6. to the parents of a dependent student as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, provided a reasonable effort is made to notify the student in advance;
    7. in compliance with a judicial order or subpoena, provided a reasonable effort is made to notify the student in advance unless such subpoena specifically directs the institution not to disclose the existence of a subpoena;
    8. in an emergency situation if the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the students or other persons; or
    9. to an alleged victim of any crime of violence, the results of the alleged perpetrator's disciplinary proceeding may be released.

    The University will release information in student education records to appropriate University officials as indicated in (1) above when there is a legitimate educational interest. 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 (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Regents; or a student serving on an official 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 responsibility.

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

    Where required by regulations, a record of requests for disclosure and such disclosure of personally identifiable information from student education records shall be maintained by the Admissions Office, Office of Graduate Student Services, Office of the Registrar, office of the student's academic dean, and the office of the student's departmental major for each student, and will also be made available for inspection pursuant to this policy. If the institution discovers that a third party who has received student records from the institution has released or failed to destroy such records in violation of this policy, it will prohibit access to educational records for five (5) years. Respective records no longer subject to audit nor presently under request for access may be purged according to regular schedules.

     

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