NUMBER:                                1130

SUBJECT:                               FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

AUTHORIZING BODY:          VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

RESPONSIBLE OFFICE:     DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE 

DATE ISSUED:                       OCTOBER, 1977

LAST UPDATE:                      OCTOBER, 2001 

RATIONALE:   The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 1974, addresses the question of confidential student educational records. This legislation, in essence, allows students the right to view upon request their own confidential educational records and restricts the use of these records by others.  

POLICY:  In accordance with provisions of the Act and the regulations enacted by the U.S. Department of Education, Oakland University has adopted the following policies and procedures.

        Section 1.  General Policy on Access and Disclosure:

        Oakland University shall not as a matter of policy or practice:

        1.    Deny or prevent students at the university the right to inspect or review the educations records of such 

               students, or

        2.    Permit the release of educational records contrary to the provisions of the Family Educational

               Rights and Privacy Act and the policies and procedures set forth in the following sections.

        Section 2.  Notification to Students

Under the provisions of the Act, the University must annually notify students of their rights and the institution's policies pertaining to the Act.   In addition, notice must be given of the location where the policy can be obtained as well as to inform the students of their right to file complaints with the Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the Act.

        

In accordance with these requirements the annual notice regarding student rights, the location of copies of the university's policies setting forth these rights, as well as the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office, shall be published in appropriate publications such as the undergraduate and graduate catalogs and the student handbook.  The Dean of Students, located at 144 Oakland Center, is designated as the Hearing Officer for the Act and shall also be responsible for implementing the notification requirements and for copies of the policies and procedures.

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