Rights & Privacy

Notification of Rights under FERPA for Postsecondary Institutions

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

 1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the institution receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, or head of the academic department [or appropriate official] written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The institution 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 institution 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 the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the Institution to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the institution official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the institution decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the institution will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her 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 consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is defined as a person employed by the institution in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit and health staff); a person or company with whom the institution has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; 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.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University 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, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-4605

PUBLIC NOTICE: Mount Holyoke College may disclose to any party without consent of any student the following directory information to any party unless the student requests in writing to withhold such directory information. The directory information includes: student's name, address (local and permanent), e-mail address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, honors and awards, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, most recent educational agency or institution attended by the student, degrees and awards received, status as a student employee, photograph, enrollment status (e.g. grad/undergrad, F-T/P-T) and dates of attendance (e.g. fall semester).

If you do not want directory information disclosed, you must inform Mount Holyoke College in writing prior to the first date of classes for Fall/Full Year attendees or the first date of second semester classes for Spring enrollees. Notices of requests for directory information to be withheld should be sent in writing to the Registrar’s Office.