The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. These rights include:

  1. The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records within 45 days of the day Quinnipiac University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. A Quinnipiac 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 Quinnipiac 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 they believe are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to ask the university to amend a record should write to the Quinnipiac official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. If Quinnipiac decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university 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 they are notified of the right to a hearing.

  3. The right to provide written consent before Quinnipiac discloses personally identifiable information contained in the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

    One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by Quinnipiac University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (including but not limited to law enforcement unit personnel, health staff, and athletic staff and coaches); a person or company with whom Quinnipiac 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 their tasks.

    A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record to fulfill their professional responsibility. Upon request, Quinnipiac also discloses educational records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

    Public Notice Designating Directory Information
    Quinnipiac University designates the following information as public or “Directory Information” under FERPA; that is, information that can be made available to the general public by Quinnipiac without the student’s prior consent:

    1. Name
    2. Address
    3. Telephone number
    4. Email address
    5. Date and place of birth
    6. Secondary school
    7. Hometown or city at the time
    8. School or college
    9. Major field of study
    10. Degree sought
    11. Weight and height of athletic team members
    12. Expected date of completion of degree requirements and graduation
    13. Degrees and awards received
    14. Honor societies
    15. Dates of attendance
    16. Full- or part-time enrollment status
    17. Previous educational agency application for admission filed or institution attended
    18. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
    19. Name and address of parent or guardian
    20. Photo images from ID cards

      A student may refuse to permit the designation as “Directory Information” of any or all of the personally identifiable information listed above, except to school officials with legitimate educational interests and others as indicated. To do so, a student must make the request in writing to the Office of the Registrar by 5 p.m. on Friday of the first week of classes of the semester. Once filed, this request becomes a permanent part of the student’s record until the student instructs Quinnipiac University, in writing, to have the request removed.
  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Quinnipiac University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are:
    Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC 20202-5920

While students have the right to inspect and review their educational records, Quinnipiac does not release copies of educational records to students or their representatives, including attorneys, even with consent of the student, unless the student would otherwise be unable to obtain access to review their records.