Notification of FERPA Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 USC §1232g, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA affords students the following rights with respect to their education records:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the date that Fort Valley State University (FVSU) receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Office of the Registrar, dean, academic department head, or other appropriate official who is the custodian of the record that the student wishes to review and inspect a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The FVSU 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 FVSU Official, the FVSU Official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. Students do not have the right to inspect the following:

Parents’ financial records
Confidential letters and statements of recommendation if the student has waived the right to inspect connection with treatment of the student and disclosed only to individuals providing the treatment
Treatment records made or maintained by a medical professional in

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading, or in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. Students may submit a written request to the FVSU custodian responsible for the record which clearly identifies the part of the record the student wants changed, and specifies why it is inaccurate or misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s right to privacy. If the university official decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university official 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 process 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 the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom FVSU or the University System of Georgia (USG) has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, or official of the National Student Loan Clearinghouse) as its agent to provide a service instead of USG employees or officials; a person serving on the Board of Regents; 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 for FVSU. The University may also disclose education records without the student’s consent in certain other circumstances:

to officials of another educational institution, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, or is already enrolled as long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer;
in connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount, or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid;
the information is considered directory information, provided the student has not requested to opt out of such disclosure via FVSU’s online FERPA Directory Information Opt-Out Form, located at: https://nextgensso2.com/sp/startSSO.ping?PartnerIdpId=https://id.fvsu.edu&SpSessi onAuthnAdapterId=fvsuDF&TargetResource=https://dynamicforms.ngwebsolutions. com/Submit/Form/Start/4f11aecf-5cbf-4d12-9ad5-ee1f905d86ae
to comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena;
to appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency where disclosure is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals;
to the general public regarding the final results of a disciplinary proceeding against a student whom the institution has determined violated a University or BOR rule or policy in connection with alleged acts that would, if proven, also constitute a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense.
to a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, which would only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding
to authorized representatives of the Comptroller General, Secretary of Education, U.S. Attorney General, or state or local officials in connection with an audit of federal or state supported education programs or enforcement of or compliance with federal legal requirements related to those programs
to accrediting organizations to carry out their functions;
to organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the University;

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by FVSU 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, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 20202-4605.

*For purposes of compliance with FERPA, the University considers all students independent.