The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Students have the following rights with respect to their education records: 

1. Inspect and review the student's education records.
2. Request amendment of the student's education records to ensure that they are not inaccurate or misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
3. Provide consent before disclosure of the student's education records to third parties, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
4. To be notified of the student's privacy rights under FERPA.

A student has the right, upon request, to review all materials that are in the student's education records.

• To inspect education records, a student must submit a Record Inspection Request identifying the records to be inspected to [email protected] .  
• Copies of official transcripts and other official records are available through the registrar’s office as per below: 
  1. Requests by a student for education records shall be processed by the University and will be made available within forty-five (45) days of the request.
  2. Requests for official copies of transcripts or other academic records will not be released for students who have a delinquent financial obligation or financial "hold" at the University.
• Authorized University official will arrange for access and will notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The University may charge a fee for copies of requested education records.

Students do not have a right under FERPA to inspect the information that is not an education record, such as: 

• Financial information submitted by the student's parents.
• Confidential letters and recommendations associated with admissions, employment or job placement, or honors, to which the student has waived rights of inspection and review, provided those letters were collected under established policies of confidentiality and were used only for the purposes for which they were collected as further described in FERPA regulations.
• Education records containing information about more than one student, in which case the University will permit access only to that part of the record that pertains to the inquiring student.
• Records that are subject to an attorney-client privilege that belongs to the University.

• Students have the right to have their education records maintained accurately and may request amendment of records that they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their rights under FERPA. 
• If the normal channels for amending education records within the University do not result in the desired corrections, students should submit an Amending Education Record Request to amend education records. (the email of the office that will receive the request should be added). 
• The University will inform the student of the University’s decision concerning the requested amendment within forty-five (45) days of the date of receipt of the amendment form.  
• If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, it will: 
  1.  Inform the student of the decision.
  2. Advise the student of his or her right to a hearing to challenge the content of the record on the grounds that the information contained in the record is either Inaccurate, misleading, or In violation of the student’s rights under FERPA.
  3. Explain the procedures to request such a hearing.

• The University will not disclose education records or personally identifiable information from an education record without prior consent of the student to a parent, except as authorized by FERPA.
• Current or former students who wish to permit another person to inspect or receive copies of their education records must provide signed and dated Consent to Release Information to Parent Request which must:
  • Specify the records that may be disclosed.
  • Identify the person or class of parties to whom the disclosure can be made

The University, pursuant to FERPA, may release education records without the student’s consent as follows: 

1. Directory Information. Directory information may appear in public documents and may otherwise be disclosed without student consent unless a student submits a Directory Information Restriction Request to the registrar during the first twelve (12) days of class of a fall or spring semester, the first four (4) class days of a summer semester, or the first three (3) days of any quarter to withhold such information from disclosure to a Parent.
2. University Officials with a Legitimate Educational Interest in an Education Record are allowed access to that education record. Inter-institutional disclosures may be made between institutions that administer or participate in joint programs or activities, in accordance with legitimate educational interest criteria. For example, an education record about a student concurrently enrolled in the University and another institution, or who receives services from the University (such as the provision of a distance education class) and from another institution may be disclosed by University to the other institution under this subsection.
3. Other Institutions. The University may release a student's education records to officials of other educational institutions in which that Student seeks or intends to enroll or is enrolled.
4. Audit or Evaluation of Federal or State Education Programs. The University’s Board of Trustees, authorized representatives of the Comptroller General of the United States, the Attorney General of the United States, the United States Secretary of Education and state and local educational authorities who are authorized by law to audit and evaluate a federal supported education program, or to enforce federal law which relates to such education programs, or their authorized representatives may access an education record as required for the audit, evaluation or enforcement purpose.
5. Financial Aid and Scholarships. The University may release an education record to persons or organizations in connection with that student's application for, or receipt of, financial aid or scholarships to the extent necessary for such purposes as determining eligibility, amount, conditions, and enforcement of terms or conditions of such financial aid or scholarships.
6. State and Local Officials Pursuant to Statutes Concerning Juvenile Justice. The University may release education records to state and local officials that are authorized by statute to access student education records to efficiently serve the student.
7. Organizations Conducting Studies. Organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of the University for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction, may access education records for such studies provided that the study is conducted in a manner that will not permit the personal identification of students and/or their parents by individuals other than representatives of the organization; and the information will be destroyed when no longer needed for the purposes for which the study was conducted. The term "organizations" includes, but is not limited to, federal, state, and local agencies, and independent organizations.
8. Accrediting Organizations. Accrediting organizations may access an education record required to carry out their accrediting functions.
9. Judicial Order or Subpoena. Information concerning a student shall be released in response to a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
10. Health and Safety. The University may disclose student information deemed by the University as appropriate to persons in connection with an emergency in order to protect the health and safety of the student or other individuals.
11. Alcohol and Drug Violations. The University may disclose to a parent or legal guardian of a student, information regarding any violation of any Egypt or USA laws, or of any rule or policy of the University, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance, regardless of whether that information is contained in the student's education records, if the student is under the age of 21 at the time of disclosure to the parent, and the University determines that the student is responsible for a disciplinary violation with respect to such use or possession.
12. Defense of Litigation or Complaints against the University. If a student initiates legal action against the University, the University may disclose to the court or agency with jurisdiction over the complaint, without a court order or subpoena, the student's Education Records that are relevant for the University to defend itself.
13. Status as a Registered Sex Offender. The University may disclose information concerning a student’s status as a sex offender or other individual required to register under section 170101 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. 14071 if the information was provided to the University under 42 U.S.C. 14071 and applicable federal guidelines.
14. Disciplinary Hearing Results. 
    1. Disclosure to Victims: The University may disclose to an alleged victim of any crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense the final results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the University against the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense with respect to such crime or offense, regardless of whether the alleged perpetrator was found responsible for violating the University's rules or policies with respect to such crime or offense. 
    2. Disclosure to Third Parties: The University may disclose the final results of any disciplinary proceeding against a student who is an alleged perpetrator of any crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense if the student is found responsible for violating the University's rules or policies with respect to such crime or offense. Such disclosure shall include only the name of the student, the violation committed, and any sanction imposed by the University on that student. Such disclosure may include the name of any other student, such as a victim or witness, only with the written consent of that other student.

• Consistent with its obligations, along with this FERPA website, the University shall notify parents of students currently in attendance or eligible students currently in attendance annually of their rights under FERPA.
• Notification is sent to students via [email protected] and is available online.