Confidentiality & FERPA

• The right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of their request
• The right to request an amendment to their education records
• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in their education records
• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures to comply with FERPA

An education record is any record that is directly related to a student and maintained by the university. A student has the right of access to these records.

Education records include any records in whatever medium (handwritten, email, print, magnetic tape, film, diskette, etc.) that is in the possession of any school official. This includes transcripts or other records obtained from a school in which a student was previously enrolled.

• Personal knowledge and personal observations.
• Sole possession records – records kept in the sole possession of the maker, which are used only as a personal memorandum and are not shared with or accessible by any other person.
• Law enforcement records – records created and maintained by Hilbert campus safety department for law enforcement purposes.
• Employment records – records pertaining only to a student’s employment with Hilbert College relating only to his or her capacity as an employee.
• Alumni records – records created or received after a student is no longer in attendance at the College and unrelated to the student’s attendance as a student
• Peer grades – grades on peer-graded papers and assessments before they are collected and recorded by an instructor.
• Treatment records – records maintained by medical professionals and shared with other medical professionals for purposes of providing medical treatment to the student. 

Institutions may disclose the following information on a student without violating FERPA if the student has not restricted their information

• Student name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• Date and place of birth
• Major field of study
• Dates of attendance
• Enrollment status (includes advanced registration status, anticipated graduation year, class status)
• Resident status (commuter or resident)
• Degrees or awards received
• Recent education institution attended by student
• Participation in recognized activities and sports
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams 

Students have the right to restrict disclosure of personally identifiable information the College has designated as directory information that may be released without the written consent of the student.

Restricted records cannot be released without the written permission of the student. This permission must be signed and dated, specify the records to be disclosed, state the purpose of the disclosure, and identify the party or parties to whom the disclosure may be made.

There are exceptions to the consent to disclosure requirement. Please see the FERPA policy in the Hilbert College Catalog.

The public posting of grades, either by the student's name, institutional student identification number, or social security number is a violation of FERPA. Using an assigned random number that only the student and instructor know would be an appropriate way to post grades. Even then, the order of posting should not be alphabetic.

Statements made by a person making a recommendation that are made from that person's own observation or knowledge do not require a written release from the student who is the subject of the recommendation. However, if personally identifiable information obtained from a student's education record is included in a letter of recommendation (grades, GPA, etc.), the writer is required to obtain a signed release from the student which:

1. specifies the records that may be disclosed,
2. states the purpose of the disclosure, and
3. identifies the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure can be made.

Since the letter of recommendation would be part of the student's education record, the student has the right to read it – unless he/she has waived that right of access.

The student has the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.

This complaint may result in the loss of federal funding for financial aid and educational grants for Purdue University and the filing of civil litigation.

Action to terminate funding is generally taken only if compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means.

For additional questions or concerns, contact the Office of Student Records by calling (716) 649-7900.