Student Rights Under FERPA

As a matter of necessity, Boston College continuously records a large number of specific items relating to its students. This information is necessary to support its educational programs as well as to administer housing, athletics, and extracurricular programs. The University also maintains certain records such as employment, financial, and accounting information for its own use and to comply with state and federal regulations. Boston College is committed to protecting the privacy rights of its students and to maintaining the confidentiality of its records. Moreover, the University endorses and complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the "Buckley Amendment," a federal statute that affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are as follows:

• The right to inspect and review the student's education record within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.
  
  Any student who wishes to inspect and review information contained in an education record maintained by any office of the University may, with proper identification, request access to the record from the office responsible for maintaining that record. In general, the student is to be granted access to the record as soon as possible and, unless the circumstances require the existence of a formal request, an oral request may be honored.
  
  Whenever an office responsible for maintaining education records is unable to respond at once, the student may submit to the Office of Student Services, dean, academic department head, or other appropriate official a written request that identifies the record he or she wishes to inspect. The University official is to make arrangements for access, and is to notify the student of the time and place the record may be inspected. If the record is not maintained by the University official to whom the request is submitted, that official is to advise the student of the correct official to whom the request is to be addressed.

• The right to request the amendment of the student's education record if the student believes that information contained in his or her record is inaccurate, misleading or in violation of his or her rights of privacy.
  
  Any student who believes that information contained in his or her education record is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of his or her rights of privacy is to write to the University official responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record he or she wants changed, and specifying why it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of his or her rights of privacy.
  
  If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University is to 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 is to be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

• The right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education record, except to the extent that FERPA or other federal statutes authorize disclosure without consent.
  
  One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to University officials with legitimate educational interests. A University 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 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 University official in performing his or her tasks.
  
  A University official has a legitimate educational interest if the official requires access to an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the University may disclose education records without consent to officials of another educational institution in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

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

Written complaints should be directed to the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20202-4605.

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