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SHRP POLICY

I.   PURPOSE

This policy details how student records information is disclosed.

II.   ACCOUNTABILITY

Under the direction of the Dean of SHRP, it is the responsibility of the Assistant Dean of Enrollment Services to carry out this policy. All faculty and administrators are also charged with following this policy.

III.   POLICY

No information from records, files, and documents and other materials which contain information directly related to a student and which are maintained by UMDNJ or by a person acting for UMDNJ shall be disclosed to individuals outside the University without the consent of the student in writing, except pursuant to lawful subpoena or court order or in the case of specifically designated educational and governmental officials as required by P.L. 93 - 380 (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974).

It is the policy of the School of Health Related Professions to forward educational records upon the written request of the student or at the request of another educational institution which states in writing that the student has applied for admission. The School shall request authorization from the student to release records to any individual, agency, or institution except as outlined in the Confidentiality of Student Records Policy (2.9).

A. Student Rights:

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain students' rights with respect to their educational records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's educational records within 45 days of the day an appropriate University official receives a written request for access.
2. Students should submit to the Registrar, Financial Aid Director, Associate Dean, or other appropriate University or School official written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect.
3. The right to request the amendment of education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
   • Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They shall write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the records they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
   • 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 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.
4. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   • One exception that 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, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); an administrator or faculty member from an institution with which UMDNJ has an academic or clinical affiliation who has legitimate educational interest; a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, 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 educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
   • Upon request, the University discloses educational records without consent to officials of another school in which a student is, seeks, or intends to enroll.
   • UMDNJ reserves the right to release directory information without prior written consent of a student unless notified in writing to the contrary. The following items are considered by UMDNJ as Directory Information: name, date and place of birth, addresses (including electronic), phone numbers, field(s) of study or program(s), enrollment status, dates of attendance, participation in officially recognized activities, degrees, awards and honors received, previous school attended, photographs, internship, residency or other post-completion placements.
5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by State University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington , D.C. 20202-5920

UMDNJ-SHRP shall not allow a student access to:

a)  Financial records of his or her parents.

b)  Confidential letters and confidential statements of records placed in the education record prior to January 1, 1975 if the letters and statements were predicated as being confidential.

c)  Confidential letters and confidential statements of records after January 1, 1975 concerning admission, application for employment or receipt of an honor, provided that the student has waived his or her right to access.

UMDNJ reserves the right to deny copies of transcripts or records in the following situations:

a) the student has an unpaid financial obligation to the University/school; and,

b)  there is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student

The University Policy is found at: http://www.umdnj.edu/oppmweb/Policies/HTML/ StudentServices/00-01-25-05_00.html

A. To Third Party

Information from educational records may be released without a student's consent to others under the following circumstances:

1. UMDNJ faculty and/or staff members determined by the University to have legitimate educational interests in the requisitioned records.
   
2. Appropriate officials of other colleges for students enrolled in programs with which the UMDNJ is conjoined.
   
3. Appropriate financial aid personnel in connection with an application for or receipt of financial aid.
   
4. Parents of dependent students.
   
5. Under a subpoena, by lawful authorities. Authorized federal officials to include those auditing federally supported educational programs as well as state officials who by statute are required to gather information from student records.
   
6. In an emergency, if the knowledge obtained from the student's record is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.