Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Notification of Rights under FERPA for Postsecondary Institutions

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.

   A student should submit to the Office of the University Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

   A student who wishes to ask the University to amend a record should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

   If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, the University will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s 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.

3. The right to provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

   The University discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. 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 as its agent to provide a service instead of using University employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance 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 responsibilities for the University.

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

4. 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 20202-5901

5. Illinois State University will, upon written request, disclose to the alleged victim of any crime of violence or a nonforcible sex offense, the results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the institution against a student who is the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense. If the alleged victim is deceased as a result of the crime or offense, the information shall be provided, upon request, to the next of kin of the alleged victim.

Public Notification of Directory Information

At its discretion, Illinois State University may provide “directory information” in accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Directory information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Designated directory information at Illinois State University includes the following: student’s name*, address (local & home), telephone listing (local and home), Illinois State University email address, month and day of birth, place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (e.g. undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time), participation in officially recognized activities or sports, weight or height of members of athletic teams, target graduation date, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent educational agency or institution attended. Students may block the public disclosure of directory information by notifying the Office of the University Registrar in writing prior to the first day of classes.

Please consider very carefully the consequences of a decision to withhold directory information. A non-disclosure block will call for Illinois State University not to release any of this “directory information;” thus, any future requests for such information from non-institutional persons or organizations will be refused.

Illinois State University will honor your request to withhold directory information but cannot assume responsibility to contact you for subsequent permission to release this information. Regardless of the effect upon you, Illinois State University assumes no liability as a result of honoring your instructions that such information be withheld.

Although the initial request may be filed at any time, requests for non-disclosure will be honored by the University until removed, in writing, by the student.

*The name included on the student's ISU application (the student's legal name) is the name used for directory information purposes. If a student has also entered a preferred name in the Campus Solutions and/or HR system, that preferred name will be used ONLY for specific internal University operations and will not be used as directory information. To change your name for directory information purposes, you must change your legal name in the system. Information on how to do this is available at the University Registrar website or by contacting the Registrar directly at (309) 438-2188. If you are also an employee, information on how to change your legal name for employment purposes, is available on the Human Resources website or by contacting them directly at (309) 438-8311. Questions regarding use of a preferred name should also be directed to the above offices.

Learn more about FERPA from the U.S. Department of Education