Data Privacy

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

• The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a written request for access.

Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements 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 University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

• The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.

Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or 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.

• 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 the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including health or medical staff) and also clerical staff who transmit the education record; a person who is employed by MSU Security acting in a health or safety emergency; or 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.

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.

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

The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC. 20202-4605

Additional requirements concerning education records are found in the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION

Minnesota State University, Mankato has designated the following items as Directory Information. As such, this information may be released to the public without the consent of the student:

1. Name
2. Date and place of birth
3. Local and permanent address
4. Major field of study
5. Local and permanent telephone number
6. Dates of attendance
7. Previous college/university attended
8. Degrees received
9. E-mail address
10. Awards and honors
11. Height and weight information for athletic participants
12. Performance records and participation in competitive events
13. Participation in officially recognized activities, sports and organizations

Students may request that Directory Information be kept private. To do this, contact the Office of the Registrar.

If you are currently enrolled in or receiving services from one college or university within the Minnesota State College and University System ("System"), your academic records from that institution are available to officials of other schools within the System while you are in attendance. If you seek or intend to enroll at another institution within the System, your academic records from other institutions are also accessible to officials at the school where you are seeking or intend to enroll. Disclosures of your records to other schools under other circumstances may require your prior written consent.

You have the right to request a copy of records that have been disclosed. You also have the right to request a hearing to correct any inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information in those disclosed records. For further information about your rights, please contact the Registrar at the college or university that supplied the records.

Questions concerning data privacy should be directed to

the Office of the Registrar

room:  WA 132; phone:  389-6266