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FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (The Buckley Amendment) and Fair Information Practices Act

Annually, Salem State University informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (The Buckley Amendment, generally referred to as FERPA) and the Fair Information Practices Act of 1975. Salem State University intends to fully comply with these statutes, which were designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO), U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-5901, concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the Act.

 

Public Notice Designating Directory Information

Directory Information is defined by FERPA as information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Salem State University has designated the following as Directory Information, and such information may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose, at its discretion.

  •  Name
  •  Electronic mail address
  •  Local and permanent mailing addresses
  •  Telephone numbers
  •  Date and place of birth
  •  Major and minor fields of study
  •  Dates of attendance
  •  Enrollment status (full or part time) and whether or not currently enrolled
  •  Certificates, degrees, honors and awards received (including scholarships)
  •  Date of actual or expected graduation
  •  Most recent educational institution attended
  •  Participation in officially recognized activities and sports sponsored by the University
  •  Weight and height of athletic team members
  •  Photograph

The University may disclose any of these items without prior written consent, unless the student has submitted a written request to the Registrar’s Office not to release directory information pertaining to him or her. Requests will be processed within 24 hours after receipt. A full copy of the current FERPA policy, including student rights under FERPA and the conditions under which Salem State University may release information from educational records, may be found below. The University reserves the right to revise the designation of public directory information each academic year with full notification to students and the wider University community prior to such designations taking effect.