Information for Parent(s)/Guardian(s)

Annual Notification of Students Rights

under the

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) afford students certain rights with respect to education records. Those rights are as follows:

1. The right to inspect and review his/her education records within 45 days of the day Chapman University receives a request for access. Students should submit written requests to the Registrar's Office identifying the record(s) he/she wishes to inspect. The Registrar will arrange 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 Registrar's Office, the student shall be advised of the correct official to address the request.

2. The right to request amendment of a student’s own education record that he/she believes is inaccurate. Students may ask Chapman University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. The student should write the Registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record requested to be changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If Chapman University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the student shall be notified of the decision and advised as to his/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 legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by Chapman University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement  personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom Chapman University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, degree conferral & transcript processing agent, document managing agent, and placement sites for internship or similar student work/study opportunities); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; 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; consultants, volunteers or other outside parties to whom Chapman University has outsourced institutional services or functions that it would otherwise use employees to perform. 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.

As allowed within FERPA guidelines, Chapman University may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school, upon request, 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 Chapman University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is as follows:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC, 20202-4605

At its discretion, Chapman University may provide Directory Information in accordance with the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. Directory Information is defined as that information which would generally not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Designated Directory Information at Chapman University includes the following: student name, permanent address, local address, temporary address, electronic mail address, telephone number, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members’ of athletic teams, final theses/dissertation, photograph, full-time/part-time status, most recent previous school attended, date and place of birth, class schedule. Students may withhold Directory Information by notifying the Registrar in writing; please note that such withholding requests are binding for all information to all parties other than for those exceptions allowed under the Act. Students should consider all aspects of a Directory Hold prior to filing such a request. Although the initial request must be filed during the first two weeks of the enrollment period, requests for non-disclosure will be honored by the University for no more than one academic year. Re-authorization to withhold Directory Information must be filed annually in the Registrar's Office within the first two weeks of the fall semester.