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Student Notification of Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) afford you certain rights with respect to your education records. These rights include:
  1. The right to inspect and review your education records within 45 days after the day MBKU receives a request for access. You should submit to the registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) you wish to inspect. The registrar will make arrangements for access and notify you of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise you of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
  2. The right to request the amendment of your education records that you believe is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of your privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to ask the school to amend a record should write the Vice President of Student Affairs, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the school decides not to amend the record as requested, the school will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s 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 provide written consent before the university discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from your education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. MBKU will disclose information from a student's education records only with the written consent of the student. The written request must include specification of the records to be released, purpose of disclosure and party to whom disclosure may be made. The "Enrollment and Degree Verification Form" is found on the portal. Unofficial copies of records may be provided to the student in cases where the purpose of the disclosure and/or the party to whom disclosure is to be made are not provided. The “Recommendation Release Form” is also found on the portal. This form is completed and submitted by a student prior to any MBKU faculty or staff submitting a recommendation on their behalf. On the form, the student will indicate which types of non-directory information to include in the recommendation, along with waive or retain their right to review the recommendation submitted by the faculty/staff member. After submission, the form is automatically sent to the student, faculty/staff member and the MBKU Registrar. Once received, the faculty/staff member is permitted to write a recommendation for the respective student. The school discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by MBKU in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of MBKU who performs an institutional service of function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist 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 responsibilities for MBKU. Another such exception permits MBKU to disclose your directory information to anyone within the MBKU community and to the general public. However, for the purpose of protecting the privacy of its students, it is the policy of MBKU not to release the names of students to any outside organizations. Any organization wishing to distribute materials to students may submit copies to University Student Affairs or the respective Program administrator. Students do not have on-campus mailboxes so any viable materials/documents will be posted online for student viewing and/or added to publicly viewed campus bulletin boards. Students who wish to have their directory information withheld must notify the Registration and Records by completing the FERPA Information Disclosure Update form located on the online forms tab of the portal prior to the start of the third week of the Fall Quarter. After this time, any changes to FERPA disclosures must be made in writing and submitted to the Registration and Records. Please note that such a notification will prevent MBKU from providing your directory information to students on campus and others with whom you may wish us to share such information, so make your decision carefully. You may give such notification at any time, but it will be effective only prospectively.
  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by MBKU 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 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.

MBKU directory information

Category 1 includes Directory Information that may appear in University and College programs (e.g., White Coat Ceremony, Commencement):
  • Student Name
  • Degree Program
  • Degrees and awards earned
  • Graduating class year
  • Home town/state
  • Participation in officially recognized activities

And Directory Information that may be shared within the MBKU community:

  • Address
  • Telephone number
  • University email address
  • Student ID Number
  • Degree program
  • Awards received
  • Dates of attendance
  • Enrollment status
  • University ID photo
Category II includes photographs taken on-campus or at officially recognized MBKU events. These may appear on the University website, University social media platforms, and other print and non-print University communication materials. (See “Student Photographs at Campus Events” policy.)