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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the University 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 students 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 have been addressed.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
- Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the records, 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 the 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 procedure will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
- The right to consent to disclosures 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 school officials with legitimate education interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research of support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (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 responsibility.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Hofstra 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 20202-5920
Availability of Records
In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (Buckley Amendment), this statement reflects Hofstra University’s policy.
The following directory information may be released. This directory information includes, but is not limited to, the student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and 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 and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent education agency or institution attended.
Information regarding the student’s record: grades, courses, GPA, social security number and other personal information will not be released without the student’s written consent.
The University will not provide directory information for specific students who formally request that such information be withheld from third parties. A form to request nondisclosure of directory information must be filed by the student. This form is available at the Student Administrative Complex, Memorial Hall or can be downloaded from Hofstra’s Web site.
The Solomon Amendment
In accordance with the Solomon Amendment, the University will make accessible to the Secretary of Defense, directory information including each student’s name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, level of education, academic major, degrees received and the educational institution in which the student was most recently enrolled.
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