Midwestern State University maintains educational records for each student who is or has been officially enrolled.

Areas in which student records are maintained:

  1. Academic Records - Registrar’s Office
  2. Admissions/Immigration Records - Admissions Office, Dr. Billie Doris McAda Graduate School, and the Global Education Office
  3. Financial Records - Business Office
  4. Financial Aid Records - Financial Aid Office
  5. Graduate Studies Records - Dr. Billie Doris McAda Graduate School
  6. Placement Records - Career Management Center
  7. Progress Records - Faculty Offices and Academic Advising Offices
  8. Disciplinary Records - Student Rights and Responsibilities Office
  9. Housing Records - Housing & Dining Services
  10. Athletics Records - Athletics Office
  11. Occasional Records - University staff person who maintains minutes of faculty or committee meetings or copies of correspondence

 

Directory Information.

This is information which may be released to the general public without the written consent of the student. A student may request that the Directory Information be withheld from the public by making a written request to the Office of the Registrar during the first 12 class days of a fall or spring semester or the first 4 class days of a summer term. This request will remain in effect the remainder of the academic year, and the request must be renewed each fall. The following items have been designated as Directory Information:

  1. Name
  2. Date and Place of Birth
  3. Current and Permanent Address
  4. Telephone Listing
  5. Major and Minor Fields of Study
  6. Student Enrollment Status (full-time/part-time)
  7. Classification
  8. Participation in Officially Recognized Activities and Sports
  9. Weight and Height of Members of Athletic Teams
  10. Dates of Attendance
  11. Degrees and Awards Received
  12. All Previous Educational Agencies or Institutions Attended
  13. Photographs

 

Review of Record.

Students who desire to review their records may do so upon written request of the appropriate record custodian. The Review Request Form must identify as precisely as possible the records to be reviewed.

Challenge to Accuracy of Record-keeping.

Students who desire to challenge the accuracy of their records shall follow the procedure outlined below:

Informal Review. The procedure outlined for Review of Record shall be followed. The review official will summarize action taken on the Review Request form. This form should be signed and dated by the review official and maintained with the student’s record. If the Informal Review does not clarify the accuracy of record-keeping, the student may request a Formal Review.

 

Formal Review. The Provost will chair and appoint a committee to hear challenges concerning records of offices reporting to him or her. The Vice President for Student Affairs, and the Vice President for Enrollment Management will each chair and appoint a committee to hear challenges concerning records in their respective areas. The student shall be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issues raised in the original request to amend the student’s education records. The student may be assisted by one or more individuals, including an attorney.

The Provost or the appropriate Vice President will prepare a written decision based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing for their respective areas. The decision will include a summary of the evidence presented and the reasons for the decision. If the University’s decision is that the challenged information is not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s right of privacy, the student will be notified that he has a right to place in the record a statement commenting on the challenged information and/or a statement setting forth reasons for disagreeing with the decision.

The statement will be maintained as part of the student’s education records as long as the contested portion is maintained. If MSU discloses the contested portion of the record, it must also disclose the student’s statement. If MSU decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy, it will amend the record and notify the student, in writing, that the record has been amended.

Students have a right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. The following exceptions permit disclosure without consent:

  1. Disclosure without consent is permitted 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, collection agent, or enrollment or loan and degree verification service); a person serving on the Board of Regents; 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.
  2. The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 allow disclosure of the final results of student disciplinary proceedings involving students found to have committed a disciplinary offense that would constitute a “crime of violence” (or a unenforceable sex offense) under federal law, specifically the name of the student found to have committed the offense, the violation committed, and any sanction imposed.
  3. The 1998 FERPA amendments also allow institutions of higher education to disclose to a parent or legal guardian of a student under the age of 21 years information regarding the student’s violation of any federal, state, or local law, or any institutional rule or policy related to the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance.
  4. Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31)
  • School officials with legitimate educational interest;
  • Other schools to which a student is transferring (seeks or intends to enroll);
  • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
  • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
  • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
  • Accrediting organizations;
  • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
  • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
  • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which a student’s education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records may be accessed without the student’s consent. Students needing more details regarding these exceptions may contact the Office of the Registrar.

Students who desire to grant access to parents or third parties can complete the Authorization to Release Student Information form and submit to the Office of Student Affairs, Clark Student Center, room 108.

Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Midwestern State University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

FERPA allows the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (the State of Texas educational governing entity), with student consent, to disclose to higher education institutions the number of credit hours taken previously.