OFFICE OF STUDENT RECORDS/UNIVERSITY REGISTRAR
RELEASE OF STUDENT INFORMATION
(The Buckley Amendment – The Family Educational And Privacy Act of 1974)
Provisions for reviewing and correcting student information as required under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (The Buckley Amendment) have been available to Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) students and parents for many years. Essentially, students have the opportunity to see official copies of personal and academic information which are collected and distributed by the Office of Student Records during each semester of enrollment. Further, the student has the opportunity to correct personal and other data and to submit such changes to the Office of Student Records during the registration period.
Pursuant to requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the following types of information are hereby designated as directory information and may be released via official media of MVSU according to the University policy, the student’s:
- Name
- Address
- Email Address
- Telephone number
- Date and place of birth
- Major field of study
- Dates of attendance
- Degrees and awards received
- Weight and height of members athletic teams
- Participation in officially recognized of activities and sports
- The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student and other similar information.
- Photographs
Students must inform the Office of Student Records in writing if they refuse to permit the University to Release “directory information” about them without specific prior consent. Notification to the University of refusal to permit the release of “directory information” will result in the University’s refusing to release any of this information to anyone except as provided by law. Such a decision may result in a student’s name not appearing in the:
- Lists of honor students
- Candidates for graduation
- Athletic programs
- News releases
- Other publications
Therefore, students are encouraged to give this matter careful consideration before making the decision. Once made, the decision will remain in effect until notification from the student is received by the Office of Student Records, in writing, to the contrary.
FERPA guarantees its rights to individuals who have reached the age of 18 or who attend a postsecondary institution. All colleges and universities are postsecondary institutions. Therefore, if an individual is a college student, that person is guaranteed rights under FERPA whether or not the individual is 18 years of age.
MVSU will not permit the parents or legal guardians to inspect the student’s record unless the student has stated, in writing, to the Director of Student Records/University Registrar that the records may be released or opened for inspection. However, if the parents are supporting the student – that is, if the student is a dependent as defined by the Internal Revenue Code – then the University may choose to disclose the records to the parents.
Student records are open to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in their contents, except where access is prohibited by special policies such as those governing medical and psychological records.
- 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 (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. Faculty members are considered to be advisors with a legitimate educational interest for all students currently enrolled in their classes or seeking enrollment, and others that they may be advising on an assigned basis.
- The determination of "a legitimate education interest" will be made by the person responsible for the maintenance of the record. This determination must be made scrupulously and with respect for the individual whose records are involved.
- Academic documents inaccessible to students (because the documents have been filed before January 1, 1975 or segregated by waivers) are to be used only for the purpose for which they were prepared.
The students have the right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements of federal law as they pertain to access and disclosure of students’ education records. The name and address of the Office that administers this law is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-4605
Questions or concerns about the privacy of students’ education records or these procedures may be brought to the attention of the Director of Student Records located in the Annex 1 - Administration Building.
Revised October 10, 2010