FERPA Policy

Student Rights Under FERPA

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

  1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Nazareth receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish 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 shall be addressed.

  2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

    If the University decides not to amend a record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her 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 consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

    One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to Nazareth officials with legitimate educational interests. A Nazareth official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic, 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 The National Student Loan Clearinghouse, an attorney, an auditor, or a 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 educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

    Another exception is required by the Solomon Amendment (32 CFR Part 216, RIN 0790-AG42). This amendment prescribes that the College must release student’s name, address, telephone listing, age (or year of birth), level of education (e.g. freshman, sophomore, or degree awarded for a recent graduate), and major when that information is requested by the Secretary of Defense for military recruiting purposes.

  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Nazareth 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.

Nazareth University Policies Regarding FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines restrict directory information that can be released by colleges and universities. Under FERPA, directory information may be released without written consent from the student unless the student signs a non-disclosure statement in Registration and Records.

While FERPA allows for the release of a wider range of directory information, Nazareth University’s Registration & Records Office has adopted an internal policy to release only: name, email, date of attendance, enrollment status, previous school attended, class, major field(s) of study, honors, and degrees conferred (including dates).

In addition, names, photo and Nazareth email addresses of current students are listed in the University’s online directory to anyone logged into the Nazareth network.  Students are given the opportunity to request that this information not be released.

For a non-disclosure of information request, or for more information about FERPA, please contact the Registration & Records Office.