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

1. Each student enrolled at SUNM shall have the right to inspect and review the contents of his/her education records, including grades, records of attendance and other information.  Students are not entitled to inspect and review financial records of their parents. Parental access to a student’s records may be allowed without prior consent if the student is a dependent as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

2. A student’s education records are defined as files, materials, or documents, including those in electronic format, that contain information directly related to the student and are maintained by the institution, except as provided by law.  Access to a student’s education records is afforded to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records.  A school official is defined as a person employed or engaged by the school in an administrative, supervisory, academic or support staff   position (including law enforcement unit and health staff); a person or company (including its employees) with whom the school has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, consultant or collection agent); a trustee serving on a governing board; or a person 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 to fulfill his or her professional responsibility or commitment to the school.

3. Students may request a review of their education records by submitting a written request to the Registrar. The review will be allowed during regular school hours under appropriate supervision.  A $5.00 fee will be charged if you are requesting a copy of the file.

4. Students may request that the institution amend any of their education records, if they believe the record contains information that is inaccurate, misleading or in violation of their privacy rights. The request for change must be made in writing and delivered to the Registrar, with the reason for the requested change stated fully. Grades and course evaluations can be challenged only on the grounds that they are improperly recorded. The instructor or staff member involved will review the request, if necessary meet with the student, and then determine whether to retain, change, or delete the disputed data. If a student requests a further review, the President will conduct a hearing, giving the student an opportunity to present evidence relevant to the disputed issues. The student will be notified of the President’s decision, which will be the final decision of the school. Copies of student challenges and any written explanations regarding the contents of the student’s record will be retained as part of the   student’s permanent record.

5. Directory information is information on a student that the school may release to third parties without the consent of the student. SUNM has defined directory information as the student’s name, addresses, telephone numbers, , birth date and place, program undertaken, dates of attendance, honors and awards, and credential awarded. If a student does not want his or her directory information to be released to third parties without the student’s consent, the student must present such a request in writing to the Registrar at enrollment or within 10 days after the date of the student’s initial enrollment.

6. The written consent of the student is required before personally identifiable information from education records of that student may be released to a third party, except for those disclosures referenced above, disclosures to accrediting commissions and government agencies, and other disclosures permitted by law.

7. A student who believes that SUNM has violated her or his rights concerning the release of or access to her or his records may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.