FERPA Policy
Update Academic and Disciplinary Contacts
This is mandatory for all undergraduate students and must be updated each academic year.
Click on the above link to identify authorized contacts or opt out.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 prohibits postsecondary educational instutitions from disclosing the education’s records of students to most third-parties without the student’s explicit written consent. Under the provisions of FERPA, parents are considered to be third-parties and student information may not be disclosed to a parent without the student’s explicit written consent.
FERPA 101 for Colleges and Universities
The University of New Haven complies with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). This act affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. All academic records of are stored in the Office of the Registrar. Financial Aid records are stored in the Office of Financial Aid. Students who may wish to review their records must request to do so in writing; an email may not be used for this request. The student’s current contact information must be provided in the written request.
Notification of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records, as follows:
(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of academic department or other appropriate official written requests that identify the record(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 education 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 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 iden-tifiable 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 a 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 the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Governors; 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.
(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University New Haven to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.
Update Academic and Disciplinary Contacts (For Undergraduate Students Only)
Public Act No. 08-167 is specifically designed to protect the confidentiality of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) and requires other personal information to be safeguarded against misuse. In compliance with this Connecticut state law, the University of New Haven issues this notification regarding the purpose for the collection and use of Social Security Numbers.
The University collects SSNs to perform specific duties and tasks necessary to the College. The University is required to report to the Internal Revenue Service the name, address, and SSN of any person from whom tuition and related payments are received. Collection, access, and use of Social Security Numbers are limited to the following offices, which will carefully safeguard the information: Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Bursar, and Payroll.
Like other private data, SSNs will be stored in a secure manner and will not be stored on portable storage devices, and will be shredded before discarding. SSNs will not be used as identification numbers on student ID cards or elsewhere and will not be required to access an unsecure internet or website. All Social Security Numbers are protected by federal regulations and are not released to unauthorized parties or disclosed unlawfully.
The University is responsible for effectively supervising any access to and/or release of official directory information about students. In connection with University commencements, dean’s list announcements, scholarship presentations, athletic contests, or other University-related news stories, the Office of Marketing and Communications may have occasion to release information about a student.
At its discretion, the University may provide the following directory information regarding students without their consent: name, address (local and permanent); telephone number; email address; date and place of birth; major; student activities including athletics; weight and height (of athletic team members); dates of attendance; date of graduation; degrees, honors, and awards received and where received; most recent educational institution attended; photographs; and the names and addresses of parents, guardians, or spouses. Such information is considered part of the public record of the student’s attendance.
A student may request that any of this information not be made public. To protect this information from public release, complete the Request to Withhold Directory Information Form online, sign and date it, and it will be routed automatically to the Office of the University Registrar. The request shall remain in effect until revoked by the student in writing.
While the University of New Haven will take reasonable measures to honor such written requests, students, faculty, or staff who do not want to be photographed or recorded are responsible for removing themselves from the area in which photographing/recording is occurring, or notifying the camera operator of their opt-out status so that their images can be identified and excluded as appropriate.
Failure to do so may result in the individual’s inclusion in a photograph or recording; it will be deemed equivalent to a release, and will allow the University of New Haven to use that photograph or recording as it chooses.