Privacy of Educational Records

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) give students the following rights regarding their educational records:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records.

• The right to request an amendment to the student’s educational records to ensure they are not inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights.

• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorized disclosure without consent.

• The right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning alleged failures by Oklahoma City University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Inspection of Educational Records

• Students may inspect and review their educational records upon request to the appropriate records custodian.

• Students should submit to the records custodian, or appropriate University staff person, a written request that identifies as precisely as possible the record or records he/she wishes to inspect.

• The records custodian, or appropriate University staff person, will make the needed arrangements for access as promptly as possible, and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

• Access will be given in 45 days, or less, from the date of receipt of the written request.

• When a record contains information about more than one student, the student may inspect and review only the records that relate to him/her.

Limitations on the Right of Access

Oklahoma City University reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records:

• The financial statement of a student’s parents.

• Letters and statements of recommendation for which the student has waived his/her right of access, or which were maintained before January 1, 1975.

• Records connected with an application to attend OCU or a component of the University, if the application was denied.

• Those records that are excluded from the Family Educational Right and Privacy Act definition of education records.

Refusal to Provide Copies

Oklahoma City University reserves the right to deny copies of records, including transcripts, not required to be made available by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act in any of the following situations:

• The student has an unpaid financial obligation to the University.

• There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student.

• There is an unresolved security investigation involving the student.

• The education record requested is an exam or set of standardized questions that is not directly related to the student.

• Documents submitted by or for the student in support of the application for admission (including letters of reference) will not be returned to the student.

Educational Records

Educational Records include any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, electronic, or other medium) maintained

by Oklahoma City University, or an agent of the University, which is directly related to a student, except the following:

• A personal record kept by a staff member if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record and is not accessible or revealed to another person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.

• Records created and maintained by the Oklahoma City University Police staff for law enforcement purposes.

• An employment record of an individual, whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he/she is a student, provided the record is used only in relation to the individual’s employment.

• Records made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other treatment of a student and made available only to those persons who provided the treatment.

• Alumni records which contain information about a student after she/he no longer attends the University and do not relate to the person as a student.

Disclosure of Education Records

Oklahoma City University will disclose information from a student’s education records only with the written consent

of the student, except that records may be disclosed without consent when the disclosure is given to the following entities or institutions:

• Approved University officials who have a legitimate education interest in the records.

• Another institution of higher learning’s officials who have requested records when a student seeks to enroll or is already enrolled at the requesting institution.

• Certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and state and local education authorities, in connection with audit or evaluation of certain state or federally supported education programs.

• In connection with a student’s request for, or receipt of, financial aid to determine the eligibility, amount or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid;

• State and local officials or authorities if specifically required by a state law that was adopted before November 19, 1974.

• Organizations conducting certain studies for, or on behalf of, the University.

• Accrediting organizations to carry out their functions.

• Parents of an eligible student who is claimed as a dependent for income tax purposes.

• To entities in which disclosure is required by a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena.

• Appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.

• Individuals requesting directory information, so designated by the University.

• Adjudicators of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the University against an alleged perpetrator of a crime or violence to the alleged victim of that crime.

Disclosure of Directory Information

Oklahoma City University designates the following items as directory information and may disclose such information without prior written consent, unless notified in writing to the contrary:

• Student’s name, email address, and physical address

• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports

• Telephone number

• Date and place of birth

• Major field of study

• Classification

• Parent’s name and address

• Weight and height of student athletes

• Dates of attendance

• Degrees received

• Honors received

• Most recent previous school attended

• Photograph

Record of Request for Disclosure

Oklahoma City University will maintain a record of requests for and/or disclosure of information from any student’s educational records. The record will indicate the name of the party making the request, any additional party to whom it may be re-disclosed, and the legitimate interest the party had in requesting or obtaining the information. The record is available to be reviewed by the student.

Correction of Education Records

Students have the right to ask to have records corrected that they believe are inaccurate, misleading or in violation of their privacy rights through the following procedures:

• A student must ask, in writing, of the appropriate University official, to amend a record. In so doing, the student should identify the part of the record to be amended and specify why the student believes it is inaccurate, misleading or in violation of his/her privacy rights.

• The University may comply with the request, or it may decide not to comply. If it decides not to comply, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his/her right to a hearing to challenge the information believed to be inaccurate, misleading or in violation of the student’s privacy.

• Upon written request, the University will arrange for a hearing and notify the student, reasonably in advance, of the date, place and time of the hearing.

• An impartial hearing officer from the University will conduct the hearing. The hearing officer will be appointed by the University President. The student shall be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issues raised in the original request to amend the student’s education records.

• The University will prepare a written decision based solely on the evidence at the hearing. The decision will include a summary of the evidence presented and the reasons for the decision.

Type of Record	Location	Custodian
Admissions	Registrar's Office	University Registrar
Cumulative Academic	Registrar's Office	University Registrar
Health	Student Health Services	Director of Student Health Services
Financial	Student Account Services	Student Account Services
Placement	Career Services	Director of Career Services
Student Conduct	Student Affairs	Dean of Students
Financial Aid	Financial Aid Office	Director of Student Financial Services