(FERPA)
The
Family Education 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 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 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 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 record, clearly identify the part of the record they want
changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
If the University official
responsible for the record decides not to amend the record as requested, the
student may submit their request to the Registrar. Following consideration by the Registrar, if
the University decides not to amend the record, 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 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 a legitimate
educational interest. School officials
may include a person employed by the University in an administrative,
supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law
enforcement unit personnel , health staff, and National Student Loan
Clearinghouse); 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.
Upon request, the University 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 UT-Houston Health Science Center to comply with the
requirements of FERPA. The name and
address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
At
its discretion, the University may release Directory Information which shall
include:
(1) name, address (all
addresses including UT e-mail address), telephone numbers
(2) date of birth
(3) major field of study
(4) dates of attendance
(5) most recent previous
educational institution attended
(6) classification
(7) degrees and awards
received
(8) date of graduation
(9) class
schedules
Students may have Directory Information withheld by notifying the Office of the Registrar in writing each semester during the first 12 days of class of a fall or spring semester or the first 4 class days of a summer session. Request for non-disclosure will be honored by the institution as a permanent request unless notified otherwise.