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

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

Students should submit to the Registrar, Dean, Head of the Academic Department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the records(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.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student's educational 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.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

   One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with a legitimate educational interest. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; 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 educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

4. The right to restrict disclosure of personally identifiable information the University has designated as directory information that may be released without the written consent of the student.

   Student directory information includes the following: name; local and home address; local and home telephone listing; electronic mail address; school; curriculum, classification, enrollment status, and credit-hour load; dates of attendance; degrees, awards, and honors received; participation in officially recognized activities; sports photograph; and weight, height, and position of members of athletic teams. The University reserves the right to amend this listing consistent with federal law and regulations and will notify students of any amendments by publication in the annual edition of University Regulations.

   Students may request, by reporting in person to the Office of the Registrar, that some or all of the above listed categories of directory information not be released without their consent. Such requests shall apply only to subsequent actions by the University and shall remain in place until removed by written request of the student. Students requesting that information be withheld from the printed student and staff telephone directory must make such a request prior to the end of the first week of the Fall semester. In addition, students living in University Residences must contact their hall manager to restrict access to directory information published by University Residences. Student employees must contact the Department of Personnel Services to restrict access to any employment-related directory information.

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

6. See Executive Memorandum C-51
   (August 7, 2000) to review the University policy regarding student rights and responsibilities under the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974" (as amended).
   
   

Section II — Compliance with HIPAA Privacy Regulations

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) rules create a framework to protect the medical privacy of patients and health plan members. In general, HIPAA privacy regulations allow health care providers and health plans to share information for the purposes of treatment, payment, operations, or as required by law; other uses or disclosures require authorization from the patient or member. Purdue University supports the goals of HIPAA and documents policies and procedures for securing protected health information in HIPAA Privacy Policy (VI:2:1). To read the "Notice of Privacy Practice" associated with the University's covered health care providers and the health plans, find the links in the "related documents" section of the University policy.