FERPA

All MSU Denver student records are considered educational records, with the following exceptions:

• Personal notes written by faculty and staff

• Employment records

• Financial records of a parent or spouse

• Medical and counseling records used solely for treatment

• AHEC Police Department records

• Confidential letters and statements of recommendation for admission, employment or honorary recognition for which you have waived the right to inspect and review

This means that your student number (900#), grades, GPA, class schedule, residency status, marital status and all other information on your file are considered educational records and, thus, protected by FERPA.  MSU Denver school officials with a legitimate educational interest and you are the only individuals who can access this information.

For access to general information pertaining to your grades, GPA, classes, tuition bills, etc., log onto the Student Hub.

If your parents claim you as a dependent when filing taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), they can view certain parts of your educational record, like your grades and tuition bills, without your written consent.  In order to gain access to this information, your parents must show a copy of their most recent tax return to prove that they do claim you as a dependent.

In all other cases, we must obtain your written consent before releasing your educational record to third parties.  You can allow MSU Denver to release your information to specific parties (e.g., parents, potential employers, insurance companies) by signing a FERPA Release.  In order to process your request, you must bring the FERPA Release Form and a photo ID to the Office of the Registrar in the Jordan Student Success Building, Suite 160.  If you are unable to visit our office in person due to extenuating circumstances, please contact us at (303) 556-3991 or [email protected] to discuss your options.

FERPA allows each school to determine what it considers to be directory information.  MSU Denver considers the following items to be directory information, and we may release this information to credible third parties unless you specifically request otherwise:

• Dates of attendance at the University
• Date of birth
• Degrees and awards received
• Enrollment status
• Last educational institution attended
• Major and minor fields of study
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Physical and email addresses
• Student classification
• Student name
• Telephone number
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams

All other personal information is considered private and will not be disclosed to third parties unless you specifically ask us to release it.

If you wish to keep your entire record private—including directory information—you can submit a Request for Non-Disclosure of Directory Information. This form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar in the Jordan Student Success Building, Suite 160, along with a photo ID.

If you submit this form, we will not release any of your information unless we are faced with an extenuating circumstance (e.g., subpoena or health emergency).  However, this means that we can’t even release information to you, unless you come to the Office of the Registrar in person and present a photo ID.  Additionally, we will not be able to provide information for ANY future requests from third parties.  For example:

• Your name will not appear in the commencement brochure.

• When a potential employer calls to confirm any degrees you received, we will not be able to give them any information.

• We will not be able to release your contact information to family or friends looking to notify you of a crisis or serious illness.

MSU Denver will honor your request to keep your records private, but we encourage you to consider all potential implications before submitting this form.

Students may inspect and review their education records upon a written request submitted to the Office of the Registrar in the Jordan Student Success Building, Suite 160 (#3)

OR

Campus Box 84

P.O. Box 173362

Denver, Colorado

80217-3362

1. The request shall identify as precisely as possible the record or records the student wishes to inspect.
2. The record custodian or an appropriate staff person shall make the arrangements for access as promptly as possible and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
3. When a record contains information about more than one student, the student may inspect and review only the records that relate to that student.

FERPA grants all educational institutions 45 days to gather all contents of your educational record.  In most cases, we can honor your request in less than 45 days; however, we encourage you to plan ahead if you need the information within a specific timeframe.

A student may make a written request to amend a record.

1. In the request, the student should identify the part of the record to be changed and specify why the student believes it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights.
2. MSU Denver shall comply with the request or notify the student that the College will not comply with the request and advise the student of the student’s right to a hearing to challenge the information believed to be inaccurate, misleading or in violation of the student’s rights.
3. Upon written request, MSU Denver will arrange for a hearing, and notify the student, reasonably in advance, of the date, place, and time of the hearing.
4. The hearing will be conducted by a hearing officer who is a disinterested party, but who may be an official of the institution. The student shall be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issues raised in the original request to amend the student’s education records. The student may be assisted by one or more individuals, including an attorney.
5. MSU Denver will prepare a written decision based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing. The decision will include a summary of the evidence presented and the reasons for the decision.
6. If MSU Denver decides that the challenged information is not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s right of privacy or other right, it will notify the student that the student has a right to place in the record a statement commenting on the challenged information and/or a statement setting forth reasons for disagreeing with the decision.

The statement will be maintained as part of the student’s education records as long as the contested portion is maintained. If MSU Denver decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights, it will amend the record and notify the student, in writing, that the record has been amended.

FERPA is occasionally amended, which means your rights as a student may change over time.  MSU Denver outlines your FERPA rights in an annual notification posted in the Student Handbook and University Catalog.  Please take a minute to read each annual notification for any changes to FERPA regulations.

The easiest way to receive information about your student’s academic progress, tuition statement, and other educational information is to ask him or her to directly provide you with it.  All MSU Denver students can access information regarding their grades, classes, and tuition bills online at STUDENT HUB.

If your student is unable to directly provide his or her records, he or she must sign a FERPA Release in the Office of the Registrar (Student Success Building, Suite 160) in order to grant you access.  When filing out the your student will give us a password which you will need to provide before we can release any information.

However, if you claim your student as a dependent when filing your taxes, you can access certain parts of his or her record (e.g., grades, tuition information, etc.) without prior written consent.  In order to access this information, you must come to the Office of the Registrar in person and present your most recent tax return documents.

Many MSU Denver parents try to financially assist their students in some way.  Yet, all parents must either have written consent from their student, or they must provide their most recent tax form showing they claim their student as a dependent.  Please see the section above for information on both options.

The FERPA Release does not serve as an automatic request for records.  If you would like to access certain information, you need to contact the MSU Denver office that manages those records.  If you are not sure who to contact, the Office of the Registrar (303-556-3991) will gladly assist you.

FERPA regulations apply only to educational records, which do not include any medical or counseling records maintained on campus.  Thus, the FERPA Release Form does not grant you access to these records.

The release of medical and counseling records is governed by other Federal regulations, campus policies, and standards for professional ethics.  In most cases, your student can provide written consent allowing medical professionals to release certain information to you or other third parties; however, this written consent is specific to the medical office and cannot be transferred to educational offices on campus.

FERPA is a Federal policy governed by the U.S. Department of Education.  The Department’s website provides the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act in its entirety.

If you suspect that a FERPA violation has taken place, please contact the Records and Registration Team in the Registrar’s Office. The team will determine the best plan of action based on the specifics of the situation.

All MSU Denver student records are considered educational records, with the following exceptions:

• Personal notes written by staff and faculty

• Employment records

• Financial records of a parent or spouse

• Medical and counseling records used solely for treatment

• AHEC Police Department records

• Confidential letters and statements of recommendation for admission, employment or honorary recognition for which the student has waived the right to inspect and review

Otherwise, a student’s 900#, grades, GPA, class schedule, residency status, marital status and all other information we have on file are considered educational records and, thus, protected by FERPA. As a school official, you are granted access to this information as long as you have a legitimate educational need to know. It is your responsibility to protect this information whenever you access it.

Directory information is part of a student’s educational record; however, school officials are permitted to share this information with credible third parties.  When requesting for lists of students, the lists are limited to directory information only.  MSU Denver considers the following as directory information:

• Dates of attendance at the University
• Date of birth
• Degrees and awards received
• Enrollment status
• Last educational institution attended
• Major and minor fields of study
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Physical and email addresses
• Student classification
• Student name
• Telephone number
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams

All other personal information is considered private and cannot be disclosed to third parties unless we have prior written consent from the student.

Students can request to keep their entire educational record private—including directory information—by completing a non disclosure request form in which a confidentiality hold will be placed on their account.  If a student has requested non disclosure, a window indicating confidentiality hold will appear in the Banner System each time you try to access their record.

If this window does appear, you cannot disclose ANY part of the student’s record to anyone.  The only time you can discuss the record with the student is when (s)he comes to your office and presents a valid photo ID.  The non disclosure request form can be found on the Office of the Registrar website under forms.

When writing a letter of recommendation for a student, you cannot disclose information from the student’s educational record (e.g., GPA) without the student’s written consent.  However, you can disclose directory information as long as the student does not have a Confidentiality Hold on their account. You may have to have the student provide you written consent to release the information.  It should contain the student name, student identification number, information to be released, and the individual or group to whom the record is to be released. Maintain the records for your protection. If a student files a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, the Office of the Registrar can refer to you to obtain the written consent.

In order to release private, personally identifiable information, we must obtain prior written consent from the student.  A statement of written consent must contain the following:

• Specific records to be released
• Purpose for releasing the records
• Names of the individuals or groups to whom the records should be released
• Student signature
• Date and Year
• Names of the individuals or groups to whom the records should be released
• The FERPA release can be found on the Office of the Registrar website under forms.

You can release a student’s 900# to the student if you are able to verify their identity. The best way to verify an identity is to ask for a photo ID (e.g., MSU Denver Student ID, driver’s license, passport). If the student does not have a photo ID or you are speaking with them over the phone, you will need to ask 3-5 questions and the student must be able to answer at least 3 of them with confidence. 

Questions to ask:

• What semester did the student first/last attend MSU Denver?
• What is the student’s declared major, minor, and/or concentration?
• What high school did they attend? 
• What year did they graduate high school?
• What college did they transfer from?
• What year did they graduate MSU Denver?
• Name a course you completed at MSU Denver?

Helpful hints:

• When the questions are asked, DO NOT confirm after each answer.
• If the caller hesitates on the question or for some reason you are not comfortable with the responses, DO NOT provide the information.
• You can send the student an email through their Student Hub account with a code word and have them recite it back to you or the student can obtain information online and/or in person with appropriate identification.
• Information about a student can be released with a signed consent from the student.

Official transcripts may only be released through the Office of the Registrar in the Jordan Student Success Building, Suite 160 (#3).

• Do not link a student’s name with their Social Security or 900 numbers in any public manner.
• Do not use any portion of a student’s Social Security or 900 number when publicly posting grades or circulating any lists.
• Do not leave graded assignments in a stack for students to sort through and pick up.
• Do not circulate class lists with Social Security or 900 numbers or grades as an attendance roster.
• Do not provide anyone with student schedules, addresses, phone numbers, or assist anyone other than MSU Denver employees in finding a student on campus.
• Do not discuss a student’s progress with anyone other than the student, unless you have written consent from the student.
• Be cautious to discuss academic progress, GPA, etc. when multiple students are present.  If you need to discuss individual grades, GPA or other private information with a group of students, you should obtain written permission from each student.
• Send all third party requests (e.g. FBI, Aviation, Police) to review, retrieve student records, or to locate a student to the Office of the Registrar. All third party requests to review student records throughout the duration of a year or longer would need to establish a contract with the University.
• You must obtain a written consent from the student if you are disclosing grade and GPA in order to write a letter of recommendation letter. The request needs to indicate exactly what the student wants you to include in the letter. Maintain the letter on file.
• Follow the Authentication Guidelines when providing information to the student over the phone.
• Send all emails that include information about the class to the student’s @msudenver.edu email address. Likewise, these emails must come from your @msudenver.edu email address.
• Any time you are disclosing protected information through e-mail or any other source like the One Drive, obtain a release from your students.

Always remember: When in doubt, don’t give it out!

• Do not save reports that include personally identifiable information to a remote computer (e.g., home computer or laptop).  If you are using COGNOS, BRM, or another software system to access student records from a remote location, all reports should be saved to a removable drive that is kept secure until you return to the office.
• Do not print reports that include personally identifiable information at home or from another remote location.
• If you are accessing student records from a remote location, be aware of your surroundings and the visibility of your computer screen to bystanders.
• Drop Boxes are not secure.

Before discussing any progress in class or non-directory information including grades, you will need to have the student’s written consent.  You may have the student simply provide you a written consent to release the information.  It should contain the student name, student identification number, information to be discussed, and whom this can be discussed with.  Maintain the record for your protection.  If the student files a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, the Office of the Registrar can refer to you to obtain the written consent.

The Office of the Registrar is the official record keeper.  You will refer them directly to the Office of the Registrar.  We will verify the release and the person asking for the release to assist them with the request.

Contact the Office of the Registrar for a workshop or one-on-one training.

According the Solomon Amendment, Student Recruitment Information is defined as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone
• Age (or date of birth)
• Class Level
• Academic Major
• Place of Birth
• Degrees Received
• Most Recent Educational Institution Attended

Military recruiters must recognize that this information is confidential and must not be shared with third parties or other organizations.  Once the data have been used, whether in electronic or paper format, they should be deleted or destroyed.

What recruiters MAY NOT ask for / information MSU Denver will NOT provide:

• Social Security Numbers
• Race/Ethnicity/Nationality
• Grade-Point-Average (GPA)
• Grades or “low-performing students”
• Religious Affiliation
• Students with Loans in Default

Information released is limited to military recruiting purposes only. The following is a list of eligible units of the military:

• Air Force
• Air Force Reserve
• Air Force National Guard
• Army
• Army National Guard
• Army Reserve
• Coast Guard
• Coast Guard Reserve
• Navy
• Navy Reserve
• Marine Corps
• Marine Corps Reserve

While students cannot restrict the release of “Student Recruiting Information” specifically to the military, a student may submit a request to withhold the release of their FERPA “directory information” to any non-institutional persons or organizations, which would include the military.

For more information on withholding the release of information to all non-institutional persons or organizations, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s Forms webpage for the Non-Disclosure of Directory Information form.