Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, sets forth requirements regarding the privacy of student records and affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. Although FERPA contains exceptions for the release of “directory information” without a student’s prior written consent, students have the right to request that even such directory information be withheld from disclosure to third parties. Applicants who are not admitted to Adler University or who do not matriculate following admission have no right of access to their submitted education records.

Education records include any information or documentation that is recorded in any way, including records produced by handwriting, computer, email, audio, video, handwritten, emailed, electronic, computer, audio, and video content created or submitted by students for class assignments, among others. Educational records contain information directly related to a student and are maintained by Adler University or any party acting on its behalf. Adler University does not maintain education records in one central office. Education records are maintained in the Office of the Registrar and in the respective academic program and department offices. Other education records are maintained in Financial Aid (financial aid information), Student Accounts (financial account payment information), Student Affairs, the Office of Community Engagement, the Training Department, and other offices. Questions regarding individual student records should be directed to the appropriate department.

Adler does not release copies of students’ transcripts from other institutions. Students are encouraged to contact their previous institutions for copies of their transcripts.

FERPA provides students the following rights:

To inspect and review educational records by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar. Requests can take up to 45 days. Students should submit to the Office of the Registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Adler University 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 Adler University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
To request the amendment of the student’s educational records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the University to amend records that they believe are inaccurate. The student should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of their 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.
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, such as directory information. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff), or a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, or the National Student Clearinghouse). A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.
Students who believe their privacy has been violated have the right to file a written grievance with the Office of the Registrar by following the Student Complaint policy and procedures online at adler.edu.
Students are informed of their rights under FERPA each October by the Office of the Registrar. The annual FERPA notice is located on the Office of the Registrar page on Adler Connect at https://connect.adler.edu/studentservices/registrar. Given the restrictions of FERPA, Adler University faculty and staff and any entity acting on behalf of Adler University should assume that all students must provide written consent that follows the format specified in FERPA before any education records may be released to anyone other than the student. Information cannot be released to any third party, including a student’s parents, relatives, and friends. Particularly sensitive information includes a student’s Social Security number, race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, academic performance, disciplinary records, and grades.

Directory Information

Certain information classified by Adler University as “directory information” may be disclosed to the public at the discretion of the appropriate Adler University representative without obtaining the student’s permission. The items classified as directory information include:

Student’s full name.
Local and permanent addresses.
Local and permanent phone numbers.
Adler University email address.
Date and place of birth.
Enrollment status.
Major and minor field(s) of study, including the college, division, department, or program in which the student is enrolled.
Dates of attendance and graduation, and degrees received.
Previous colleges/universities attended.
Degrees earned at previous colleges/universities.
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Adler University reserves the right to ask for additional information, such as a written release from a student, before releasing directory information or denying any request for directory information.

Students may restrict the release of any item of information considered directory information by submitting a written request via their Adler University email account to their campus Office of the Registrar. The decision to restrict directory information will apply to all requests for directory information from within and outside Adler University, including prospective employers. These restrictions will remain in effect until the Office of the Registrar is informed in writing to remove the restrictions.

Commencement/Graduation Activities

The Degree Completion and Graduation Application signal a student is nearing completion of their degree program. By submitting the Degree Completion and Graduation Application, the student is giving permission to the University to print or announce the following information in any Adler University commencement program and/or ceremony: the student’s name, their Adler degree, and any other academic credentials completed by the student at Adler.

If a restriction on directory information request was previously submitted, the student’s signature and/or submission of the Degree Completion and Graduation Application temporarily releases the directory information restrictions enacted by the student so the information can be published or announced in any Adler University commencement program or at any Adler University commencement ceremony. In addition, the student’s signature permits Adler University to release the student’s name and address to the external photographer/videographer vendor with whom Adler contracts and to have the vendor place graduation photographs of the student on its website. The recording of the graduation ceremony could also appear on the Adler University website and/or social media sites, including but not limited to, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

If there are questions about how the information will be used for graduation or commencement purposes, please speak with the Office of the Registrar before signing and/or submitting the Degree Completion and Graduation Application.

Records of Deceased Students

Adler University does not permit the release of education record information of a deceased student unless required by law and/or authorized by the executor of the deceased student’s estate or parents or next of kin if an executor has not been appointed. Inquiries regarding this policy should be made to the Office of the Registrar.

Mailing Lists

Adler University does not release the names, addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses of its current or former students as mailing lists unless required by law (i.e., the Solomon Amendment).

Additional Questions

The Office of the Registrar is the compliance office for FERPA at Adler University. If there are additional questions, please contact your campus Office of the Registrar.