OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR

FERPA

FERPA (the Family Education and Privacy Act of 1974) also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It was established to guarantee the right of students to control access to their educational records.

DMGS has established policies and procedures in compliance with FERPA regarding privacy and the release of student records.

FERPA provides 4 basic rights to students:

• To inspect and review information in their educational records;
• To request a correction to their record;
• To consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information in their education records; and
• To file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failure by the institution to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Education records are any records that relate to a student and are maintained by the institution.

Except as provided by law, DMGS will not release personally identifiable information from a student’s educational records without the student’s prior consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the DMGS in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position. 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.

FERPA permits the disclosure of directory information without a student’s consent unless the student has requested a FERPA Block to withhold the information. At DMGS the following is considered directory information:

• Name
• Dates of attendance
• Grade level (graduate student)
• Degree status (e.g., expected graduation date, degree conferral date or term)
• Enrollment status (full-time, part-time, or not enrolled)