Simpson University adheres to the Family Education Rights And Privacy Act (FERPA)

Official Notification of Rights Under FERPA

Student records are a necessary part of the educational process. At Simpson University we respect your right to privacy and take seriously our responsibility to safeguard the information you have entrusted to us. The following overview is meant to provide you with a basic understanding about how the information you provide the university will be treated.

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

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Simpson University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, 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. 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 education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is 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 Campus Safety 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 education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
   Upon request, the University discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
4. 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. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Independence Ave., SW.
Washington, DC, 20202-4605

Simpson University FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

Directory Information

Simpson University has designated certain information in the education records of its students as directory information for the purposes of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Students requesting confidentiality (see below section on Confidentiality) are required to submit in writing a request or complete a Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form and submit to the Registrar’s Office in order to control the release of information with respect to student records. Notification must be given by Friday of the first week of the Fall or Spring semester. With respect to Summer, such notification must be given by the second day of each Summer term.

The following information will be released to those requesting it unless the student specifically requests otherwise:

• Student’s Name
• Local Address/Telephone Number
• Permanent Address/Telephone Number
• E-mail Address
• Date and Place of Birth
• Hometown
• Degrees and Awards Received and Dates
• Dates of Attendance (Current and Past)
• Full or Part-time Enrollment Status
• Participation in Officially Recognized Activities
• Participation in Officially Recognized Sports
• Weight/Height of Members of Athletic Teams
• Most Recently Attended Educational Institution
• Major Field of Study
• Academic Levels
• Residency Status (i.e., resident or commuter)
• Photographs

Confidentiality

Students have the option of marking their records “Confidential” to restrict access to directory information. The decision to request complete confidentiality should not be made lightly, however, as it carries the following ramifications:

• The university will respond to inquiries about the student as though the student is not known to the university.
• The student will not appear in any student publication listing, including the student directory and yearbook.
• Student loan agencies will have a difficult time accessing information necessary to carry out their functions.

Once you have registered for classes at Simpson, your directory information may be made public. If you believe you need to have your files “marked Confidential,” please submit a to the Registrar’s Office (located at Simpson Central) before the deadline each semester. Please note that this must be renewed each semester that you would like your files maintained as confidential. A new form must be submitted by the respective deadlines each semester, otherwise your directory information will be assumed to be available to be made public.

Granting Access to Academic Records

Information regarding your academic records will not be released to anyone other than yourself (except as provided by the FERPA regulations), unless you grant permission. If you want information from your records available to another person, such as a parent or spouse, you must complete the Privacy Release Form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office.

Questions

Any questions concerning FERPA may be referred to the Office of the Registrar.

Office of the Registrar
Simpson University
2211 College View Drive
Redding , California 96003

Telephone: (530) 226-4111

Fax: (530) 226-4870

Email address: registrar@simpsonu.edu

Learn about Simpson University’s website Privacy Policy here