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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) provides students with the right to inspect and review information contained in their educational records, to challenge the contents of their educational records, to have a hearing if the outcome of the challenge is unsatisfactory, and to submit explanatory statements for inclusion in their files if they feel the decisions of the hearing panels are unacceptable. Students wishing to review their educational records must contact the campus official in charge of the office in which the records are located. Students may not inspect records to which they have waived their rights of inspection and review.
Within the Fairmont State community, only those members, individually or collectively, acting in the student’s educational interest are allowed access to student education records. These members include personnel in the offices of Admissions and Records, Student Services, Financial Aid, Business, academic colleges and schools, departments, academic advisors, and athletic departments. These school officials have a legitimate educational interest in the student’s education record if the school official requires such information to: fulfill his or her responsibility or duty to the University; perform tasks within the scope of his or her employment or within the scope of a contract with the University; perform a task related to a student’s education; perform a task related to the discipline of a student; provide a service or benefit relating to the student or student’s family, such as health care, counseling, job placement, pastoral counseling, or financial aid; or maintain the safety and security of the campus.
At its discretion, the institution may provide Directory Information in accordance with the provisions of the Act to include: student name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and weight and height of members of athletic teams. Students may withhold directory information by notifying the Student Services Center in writing.
Fairmont State may disclose academic information to parents of students by having parents establish the student’s dependency as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Section 152. Dependency status may be established by the presentation of a certified copy of the parents’ most recent federal income tax form listing the student as a dependent.
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