D. Privacy of Student Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA rights are provided only to university applicants upon actual acceptance to and subsequent enrollment for classes at the university. Under FERPA, students attending an institution of postsecondary education may:

1. Consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that such disclosures are authorized without consent;
2. Choose to suppress (i.e., keep from being disclosed) their directory information per the process identified;
3. Inspect and review their education records;
4. Seek amendment of those education records believed to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of their privacy rights; and
5. File complaints with the Department of Education about alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The full text of Georgia State University’s Procedure on Student Records/Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be found at https://registrar.gsu.edu/academic-records/records-access/.