Education

Education

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects your rights to inspect, review and control access to your educational records.

Manage access to your student records 

Notification of student rights

FERPA affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. Under FERPA, you have the right to: 

  1. Inspect and review your records
  2. Request an amendment to your records
  3. Provide written consent to release information
  4. File a complaint 

1. Right to inspect and review records 

You have the right to inspect and review your education records within 45 days after the day OHSU receives a request for access. 

  1. To inspect or review records, first submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar that identifies the desired records.
  2. The Office of the Registrar will arrange access and notify you of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by our office, we will advise you of the correct official for the request. 

2. Right to request an amendment  

You have the right to request an amendment to education records you believe are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of your privacy rights under FERPA. 

  1. If you would like to request an amendment to a record, first submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar. Clearly identify the part of the record you want changed and specify why it should be changed.
  2. If OHSU decides not to amend the record as requested, we will notify you of the decision and your right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will also be provided. 

3. Right to provide written consent 

You have the right to provide written consent before OHSU discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from your education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. OHSU may disclose education records without a student’s prior written consent under the circumstances outlined for disclosures without prior consent in OHSU Policy 02-20-005 Education Records. 

Disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests

OHSU discloses PII from students’ education records without prior written consent to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is defined as one of the following:  

  • A person employed by OHSU in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, student staff or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health service staff)
  • A person, company or entity with whom OHSU has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, software vendor or service provider)
  • A student or volunteer community member serving on an official committee (such as a scholarship, disciplinary or grievance committee) or assisting another school official in performing their duties 

Disclosure of directory information

FERPA allows educational institutions to designate certain information as “directory information” and to release that information without students' written permission. Directory information is information contained in education records that, if disclosed, would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy. A complete list of directory information at OHSU can be found in the Education Records Policy. 

You may request in writing that your directory information not be released without written consent by completing the Request to Restrict Directory Information. Please read the form carefully before signing it to understand the impacts of restricting directory information. 

4. Right to file a complaint

You have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by OHSU to comply with the requirements of FERPA.