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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

FERPA INFORMATION: “WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS UNDER FERPA?”

 

FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.  Its purpose is to protect the privacy of student educational records and endow students with the right to review educational records, the right to seek to amend those records and to limit disclosure of information from the records. The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal funding including Southeastern University.

 

Who Is and Is Not Covered Under FERPA?

 

Students, regardless of age, who are or have been in attendance at a post-secondary institution are covered under FERPA.  Rights begin when the student is registered for classes. Parents of students claimed as dependents for income tax purposes may have access to certain student educational records under certain conditions.

 

What Are Education Records?

 

Education records are all records that directly relate to a student and are maintained by an institution and are accessible by more than one employee. These records can be in any media form: handwritten, print, type, film, electronic, etc.

 

What Education Records Are Not:

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  • Personal Notes – Kept by a faculty/staff member if kept in the sole possession of the one who made the record.

  • Law Enforcement Records –Maintained solely for law enforcement purposes & revealed only to law enforcement agencies.

  • Employment Records – Of those whose employment is not contingent upon being a student. (Non-work-study)

  • Medical Records - Created by a health care professional used only for the medical/health treatment of the student.

  • Alumni Records -Most information contained (donations, etc).

 

Who Can Access Student Information Without Consent?

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  • 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

  • School officials to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena

  • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies

  • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law

 
Student (And Former Student) Rights under FERPA

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  • Students have a right to know where education records are kept.

  • Students have a right to inspect their education records.

  • Students have the right to have records amended if necessary.

  • Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Education if they feel their rights are being violated.

  • Students have the right to expect that their education records are kept confidential except where special provisions are made.

  • Students have the right to suppress the disclosure of directory information to outside agencies or named individuals

 
What Is “Directory Information”?

 

It is information that can be released without the student’s written consent.

 

Directory Information at Southeastern University includes:

  • Name

  • Address (home & campus)

  • Telephone (home & campus)

  • Dates of Attendance/Enrollment

  • Hometown

  • Classification (Fr, So, Jr, or Sr)

  • Previous institutions attended

  • Photos

  • Major field

  • Awards

  • Honors (including honors lists)

  • Degree(s) conferred (including dates and any graduation honors)

  • Past & present participation in officially recognized sports and activities

  • Physical factors (height & weight of athletes)

  • Email Address

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It does not include:

  • Class attendance

  • Student ID #

  • Social Security #

  • Ethnicity/Race/Nationality

  • Gender

  • Financial status or information

  • Grades or GPA

  • Major field

  • Student schedule

  • Student Life information

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How A Student Gives Consent To Southeastern To Release Information

 

FERPA - PARENT PORTAL - Providing Access to Your Educational Records
 

The Parent Portal gives parents online visibility into student information so they feel comfortable and secure with their child’s higher education experience. It allows students to control and share with parents, guardians, grandparents, or spouses the information they want online—helping SEU meet the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

 

It is our hope that the Parent Portal fosters communication among parents, students, and the institution to give students the support they need while transitioning into a higher education learning environment.

 

The Parent Portal can be used to:
•    Share student-approved information online with parents, including academic records, class schedules, student accounts, financial aid awards, residence information
•    Track and manage student information for parents based on FERPA permissions
•    Manage and view parental permissions online
•    Share information with parents, guardians, or third parties on a timely basis
•    Enable parents to view information about a single student or multiple students

 

Parent Portal permissions are available only at the discretion of the student.  The student, not campus personnel, is the only person able to grant permission to view any portion of the student’s data.

 

Instructions:

Students should login to their JICS/Student Information account, click on Parent Access tab. Click on Define New Permissions. Fill in information for parent, guardian or other.  You may edit your entries through the “Table of Contents” before submitting.

 

Once submitted, you will receive a message that your entry is waiting to be processed. Within a few days you will receive an email with instructions for your parent or other designated person, to set up their own account for access. Show them how to set up their own account and password.  Provide them with the PIN or Password you established when filling out the form.

 

Students must create a new account for each person that they wish to give access, through the Define New Permissions link. Changes to the permissions may be changed or revoked at any time by the student by contacting the Office of the Registrar in writing.

 

Students that desire to provide a third party other than a parent, guardian, grandparent or spouse permission to access FERPA protected records may contact regsitrar@seu.edu for an additional FERPA release form.  A separate form must be completed by the student for each third party that is granted access to educational records.

 

Policies Relating To Electronic Transmission Of Student Information

 

Southeastern University recognizes that the use of electronic data exchange among departments in the university, between faculty/staff and students and between institutions and services related to students' academics, financial aid, and other certified services will continue to increase.  Protecting student and parent privacy guides the policies and procedures used by Southeastern University.  Students are required to abide by electronic exchange policies found in the handbook and are required to not share their student identification, logon, and password with others.

 

Parents of students, students, faculty or staff with questions concerning FERPA may contact the Office of the Registrar for further information at  registrar@seu.edu or by calling 863-667-5015.

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