Know your rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Dear Student,
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)is the federal law that governs the release of and access to student education records.
These rights include:
The right to inspect and review your education record within a reasonable time after the University receives a request for access. If you want to review your record, contact the Office of the University Registrar to make the appropriate arrangements.
The right to request an amendment of your education record if you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. If you feel there is an error in your record, you should submit a statement to the Office of the University Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record you want changed and why you believe it is inaccurate or misleading. The Office of the University Registrar will notify you of their decision and advise you regarding appropriate steps if you do not agree with the decision.
The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in your 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." A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official has a "need to know" information from your education record in order to fulfill their official responsibilities.
Examples of people who may have access, depending on their official duties, and only within the context of those duties, include university faculty and staff, agents of the institution, students employed by the institution or who serve on official institutional committees, and representatives of agencies under contract with the University.
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.
Sacramento State does not generally release of student record information without the expressed, written consent of the student; however, there are some exceptions.
For example, directory information includes the following, and may be released without the student’s consent:
Student name
Likenesses used in university publications including photographs,
Major field of study
Class level
Dates of attendance (only with permission from the University Registrar)
Enrollment status (full-time/part-time, withdrawn)
Degrees earned
Awards and honors received (e.g., Dean’s Honor List)
Participation in University officially recognized activities and sports
Weight and height of members of athletic teams
Most recent educational agency or institution attended by the student
Please note that you have the right to withhold the release of directory information.
To do so, you must complete a "Request for Non-Disclosure of Directory Information" form, which is available from the Office of the University Registrar. Please note two important details regarding placing a "No Release" on your record:
The University receives many inquiries for directory information from a variety of sources outside the institution, including friends, parents, relatives, prospective employers, the news media, and honor societies. Having a "No Release" on your record will preclude release of such information, even to those people.
A "No Release" applies to all elements of directory information on your record. Sacramento State does not apply a "No Release" differently to the various directory information data elements.
A copy of the Act, more details about your rights, and any University policies related to the Act are available from the Office of the University Registrar.
