Assumption complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. A summary and instructional tutorial of student rights is available at the Department of Education website here: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/?src=rn Students at Assumption have the right to control who has access to their educational records and how their information is used and shared. As part of the University’s commitment to transparency and respect for students’ privacy, it offers students the opportunity to designate a person or persons with whom AU can share information if they contact us. These are typically parents or guardians and/or other third parties such as outside scholarship agencies and non-family members. When students designate a parent/guardian, it means that if that person contacts a professional office at AU, Assumption has permission to share any information we have about academic record and progress, including final grades, mid-term grades, retention alerts, information from professors, billing, and financial aid data. If no person is designated and a parent or guardian calls a professional office, Assumption will inform them that it is not permitted to share information about student academic progress.
FERPA gives students the right to:
- Inspect and review education records.
- Request an amendment to education records if the student believes they are inaccurate or misleading.
- Consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in education records, except under certain specified exceptions.
- File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if they believe their rights under FERPA have been violated. 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 20202-8520. The weblink is https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint
Written notification to withhold directly information must be directed to the Registrar’s Office. Unless otherwise directed, the University considers the following as directory information: the student’s name, address, telephone listing, campus e-mail address, date and place of birth, academic program(s), class year, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees, honors and awards received, current photo, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. A request to withhold any or all of the above data in no way restricts internal use of the material by the University. We encourage students to consider their options carefully and make an informed decision that aligns with their preferences and values. Questions or concerns about FERPA or student privacy rights should be directed to the Registrar’s Office.