In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (commonly referred to as FERPA, or the "Buckley Amendment,") the University of Puget Sound has adopted the following policies and procedures to protect the privacy of education re cords. Students will be notified of their FERPA rights annually by publication in the Logger, the university Bulletin, or the Schedule of Classes.
The University of Puget Sound uses the following definitions in this policy:
Student: any person who attends or has attended the university.
Education records: any record maintained by the university which is directly related to a student, with the following exceptions:
The following is a list of the types of Education Records that the University of Puget Sound maintains, their locations, and their custodians.
| Types | Location | Custodian |
|---|---|---|
| Admission and Academic Records |
Office of the Registrar Jones 013 |
Registrar |
| Financial Records | Office of Financial Services Jones 019 |
Director of Financial Services |
| Progress and Advising Records |
Faculty Office at each Academic Department or School, and Office of Academic and Career Advising, Howarth 101 |
Department Secretary or Faculty Director of Academic and Career Advising |
| Learning Disability Records |
Center for Writing and Learning, Howarth 109 |
Director of the Center for Writing and Learning |
| Physical Disability Records |
Office of the Financial Vice President, Jones 104 |
Director of Business Services |
| Academic Dishonesty Records | Office of the Dean of Students, Wheelock Student Center 208 | Dean of Students |
| Student Conduct Records |
Office of the Associate Dean of Students Wheelock Student Center 209 |
Associate Dean of Students |
Students may inspect and review their education records upon request to the appropriate record custodian. Students should submit in writing their request which identifies as precisely as possible the records they wish to inspect. The custodian will make the needed arrangements for access as promptly as possible and will notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Access will be allowed no more than 45 days after receipt of the written request. When a record contains information about more than one student, the student may inspect and review only the records that relate to him or her.
The University of Puget Sound reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records:
The University of Puget Sound reserves the right to deny copies of transcripts or other records (not required to be made available under FERPA), if the student has an overdue financial obligation to the university or if there is an unresolved disciplinary or academic dishonesty action against the student.
The fee for copies of education records other than transcripts is $.50 per page.
The University of Puget Sound will disclose information from a student's education records only with the written consent of the student, except:
To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records.
A school official is:
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her task. Examples include:
The University of Puget Sound will maintain a record of all requests for and/or disclosure of information from a student's education records. The record will indicate the name of the party making the request, any additional party to whom it may be redisclosed, and the legitimate interest the party had in requesting or obtaining the information. The record may be reviewed by the student.
The University of Puget Sound designates the following categories of student information as public or "directory information." Such information may be disclosed by the institution at its discretion.
| Category I. | Name and current enrollment. |
| Category II. | Local and permanent address, and telephone number. |
| Category III. | Date and place of birth, dates of attendance, class standing, previous institution(s) attended, major field of study, awards, honors (including Dean's List), degree(s) conferred (including dates), full-time or part-time status, and class schedule. |
| Category IV. | Past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, physical factors (height, weight of athletes) and photograph. |
| Category V. | Email addresses. |
Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of any category of directory information. To withhold disclosure, written notification must be received in the Office of the Registrar prior to September 10 at: University of Puget Sound; 1500 N. Warner; Tacoma, WA 98416-1034. Directory Information will then be withheld indefinitely until the Office of the Registrar receives in writing a revocation of the request for nondisclosure.
The university will honor a request to withhold information in any of the categories listed but cannot assume responsibility to contact the student for subsequent permission to release them. Regardless of the effect upon the student, the institution assumes no liability as a consequence of honoring instructions that directory information be withheld. The University of Puget Sound assumes that failure on the part of any student to request specifically the withholding of categories of "directory information" indicates approval for disclosure.
If students believe that any information contained in their education records is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights, they may request in writing that the office which contains those records amend them. Students should identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why they believe it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights.
That office will reach a decision and inform students in a reasonable amount of time after receiving the request. If the records custodian refuses to amend the record, students have the right to a hearing. This hearing will be conducted by a hearing officer appointed by the academic vice president of the university. The hearing officer will be someone who does not have a direct interest in the outcome of the hearing. However, the hearing officer may be an official of the institution. The hearing will be held within a reasonable amount of time after the request for a hearing has been made. The hearing officer will notify the student, reasonably in advance, of the date, place, and time of the hearing.
Students will be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issue raised. Students may be accompanied by one or more other persons, including an attorney. The hearing officer/board will make its decision in writing based on the evidence presented at the hearing. The decision will include a summary of the evidence presented and the reasons for the decision.
If the hearing officer/board supports the complaint, the education record will be amended accordingly and students will be so informed. If the hearing officer/board decides not to amend the education record, students have the right to place in the education record a statement commenting on the challenged information and/or stating the reasons for disagreeing with the decision. This statement will be maintained as part of the education record as long as the contested portion is maintained, and whenever a copy of the education record is sent to any party, the student's statement will be included.