Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Policy

Student Right-to-Privacy of records

Urshan Graduate School of Theology complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This act protects the right of privacy of students and affords students over 18 years of age certain rights with respect to the student’s education records. They are:

  1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the seminary receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The registrar will make arrangements for access and notify student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
  2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. The student should write the registrar, clearly identifying the part of the record that the student wishes to change, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the seminary decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the student will be notified of the decision and advised of his/her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding hearing procedures will be provided to the student when he/she is notified of the right to a hearing.
  3. Urshan Graduate School of Theology protects 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.
    1. One exception permits disclosure without consent to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the seminary as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member; a person serving on the Board of Directors; a person or company with whom the seminary has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney or auditor); or a student serving on an official committee, or assisting another school official with his or her tasks.
    3. Upon request, Urshan Graduate School of Theology discloses education records without consent to officials of another institution in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
  1. Urshan Graduate School of Theology also discloses directory information about the student. Directory information includes (but is not limited to) the following information: name, address, telephone number, e-mail, spouse’s name, date and place of birth, denomination, home church, and dates of attendance, photo, degree program and concentration, enrollment type (full time, part time, less than half time), degrees and awards received with the date of graduation. Information published in the student directory may be released up through the publication of the next student directory the following fall, regardless of whether the student continues to be enrolled.
  2. Items that can never be identified as directory information are a student’s social security number or institutional number, race/ethnicity, citizenship, nationality, gender, financial aid, billing, grades, GPA, or class schedule.
  3. Students may release their academic records to parents, a prospective employer, insurance companies, etc., by providing written consent. The notice of written consent must include the following information:
  4. It must specify the records to be released (transcripts, etc.)
  5. State the purpose of the disclosure
  6. Identity the party or class of parties to whom disclosure may be made, and
  7. Be signed and dated (within the last calendar year) by the student

Family Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605