Records

FERPA Privacy Laws

In maintaining student records, the College complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. FERPA is a federal law which affords students certain rights with respect to their education records, including guidelines regarding confidentiality of information. FERPA rights are accorded to ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED AT PUC regardless of age or circumstance.

FERPA provides regulations concerning a student’s education record, which consists of all records directly related to a student and maintained by Pacific Union College, with the following exceptions: your education record does not include law enforcement records, non-student employment records, medical/psychological treatment records, alumni records, or records kept in the sole possession of the maker. 

FERPA forms for faculty and staff

Consent for Public Return of Assignments
Use this form if you wish to return coursework in a public manner.

Consent to Post Grades by PUC ID
Use this form if you wish to post grades by PUC ID Number.

Student Employee Guidelines and Agreement
Use this form when training student workers in FERPA compliance.

FERPA forms for students

Consent to Release Grades to Parents
Use this form to authorize your parents to discuss your grades with PUC personnel. (Note- your grades will not be mailed based on this form).

Recommendation Letter Release Form
Use this form to give permission for the release of confidential academic information as part of a recommendation letter.

Request to Amend Information
Use this form if you wish to request an amendment to your education record. (Note- the grade appeal process is separate from this form).

Request to Mail Grades to Parents
Use this form if you wish to give permission for PUC to mail grade reports to your parents or another recipient.

Request to Release Information
Use this form to authorize the release of information from your student records. (Note- use this form only when none of the other forms apply).

Request to Review Education Records
Use this form to request a review of your education record. PUC will comply within 45 days of receiving the written request.

Request to Suppress Directory Information
Use this form if you wish to have your directory information suppressed.

The student’s education record is divided into two parts: directory information and confidential information. 

Directory information is considered to be publicly available and may be released without the student’s consent. At Pacific Union College directory information consists of the following:

  • Name
  • Address (local and home)
  • E-mail address
  • Telephone number (local, home, and cellular)
  • Date of birth
  • Photograph
  • Most recent educational institution attended
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • Weight and height of members of athletic teams
  • Academic program of study
  • Dates of attendance
  • Enrollment status (full-time, part-time, etc)
  • Class standing (freshman, sophomore, etc)
  • Expected date of graduation
  • Degrees conferred and date of conferral
  • Academic honors and awards received (dean’s list, cum laude, etc)

All other parts of the student’s education record are considered confidential, including (but not limited to) ethnicity, gender, religion, PUC ID number, social security number, class schedule, grades, GPA, transcripts, advising records, financial records, and disciplinary records.

What FERPA means for Parents

According to FERPA, parents have no inherent rights to inspect a student's education record from a college or university. In compliance with this federal law, PUC will release confidential information from the student’s education records to parents only under the following circumstances:

  • Upon the written consent of the student, renewed yearly. PUC provides the FERPA Privacy Form that students can sign to provide this consent.
  • Upon the provision of a copy of the most recent Federal Income Tax form showing that the student was claimed as a financial dependent.
  • In compliance with a lawfully issued (by judge or attorney) subpoena.

What FERPA means for students

Your FERPA rights begin on the first day that you attend class at Pacific Union College. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review your education records.

If you wish to review your education record, you should submit to the Registrar a completed “Request to Inspect and Review Education Records” form, available at the Records Office. Requests will be processed within forty-five days from the date the request is filed. The Registrar will make arrangements for access and will notify you of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

2. The right to request an amendment of your education records that you believe to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of your privacy rights under FERPA.

If you wish to request an amendment to your education record, you should submit to the Registrar a completed “Request to Amend Education Records” form, available at the Records Office. If Pacific Union College decides not to amend the record as requested, you will be notified of the decision in writing and will be given a right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to you when you are notified of the right to a hearing.

Please note: FERPA is concerned with accuracy. FERPA does not provide a process for questioning substantive decisions that are correctly recorded, such as a grade that is accurately entered on your transcript but with which you disagree.

3. The right to suppress the disclosure of directory information, provided that the request is submitted while you are an enrolled student.

If you wish to exercise this right, you should submit to the Registrar a completed “Request to Suppress Directory Information” form, available at the Records Office.

4. The right to provide written consent before Pacific Union College discloses confidential information from your education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

  • Pacific Union College discloses confidential information from you education records without your prior written consent to school officials with legitimate educational interests (see definition below).
  • Upon request, Pacific Union College may disclose confidential information from your education records to officials of another school in which you seek or intend to enroll.
  • Upon request, Pacific Union College may disclose confidential information from your education records to your parents if you are a dependent student as defined by the IRS code, provided that proper documentation is on file at the college to establish dependency.
  • Pacific Union College may disclose confidential information from your education records under additional FERPA provisions authorizing disclosure without consent. A full description of all authorized exceptions for disclosure may be obtained from the Registrar.

5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Pacific Union College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The Family Policy Compliance Office administers FERPA and any complaints may be filed at the following address:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5901

Definition of School Officials with Legitimate Educational Interest

As noted above, Pacific Union College releases confidential student information to school officials with legitimate educational interest.  A school official at Pacific Union College is: 1. A person employed by the college as an administrator, faculty, or staff member; 2. A student employed by the college to assist an administrator, faculty, or staff member in fulfillment of his/her professional duties; 3. A person employed by, or under contract to, the college to perform a special task, such as an attorney or an auditor; 4. A person or organization acting as an official agent of the college and performing A business function or service on behalf of the college; 5. A member of a college committee (may include student members); or 6. A person serving on the college Board of Trustees. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review your education record in order to: 1. Perform appropriate tasks that are specified in his/her position description or by a contract agreement; 2. Perform a task related to your education; 3. Perform a task related to your discipline; or 4. Provide a service or benefit relating to you as a student such as health care, counseling, job placement, or financial aid.