FERPA

The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal aid administered by the Secretary of Education. FERPA applies to postsecondary institutions (colleges and universities) as well as K-12 schools. FERPA applies to all current and former UCM students, regardless of their age or status with regard to parental dependency. This includes students enrolled as dual-credit high school students and those enrolled as continuing education and non-degree seeking students. 

UCM students are covered under FERPA upon first enrollment in courses.

FERPA provides eligible students the right to:

• inspect and review their education records within 45 days of the receipt of the request (some limitations apply)
• request to amend their education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading and to request a hearing if the request to amend is not granted
• have some control over the release of information from their educational records
• obtain a copy of the institution’s FERPA compliance policy
• file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education 

The intent of the legislation is to protect the rights of students and to ensure the privacy and accuracy of education records.

• The student and any third party designated with the student’s written request.
• School officials (as defined by the University) who have “legitimate educational interests”.
• A person in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or court order, as long as the University makes a reasonable attempt to notify the student first.

With certain exceptions (noted below), an education record is any record (1) which contains information that is personally identifiable to a student, and (2) is maintained by the university. With the exception of information about other students, financial records of parents and confidential letters of reference to which the student has waived access, a student has the right of access to his or her education records.

Education records include any records in whatever medium (handwritten, print, e-mail, magnetic tape, film, diskette, etc.) that are in the possession of any school official. This includes transcripts or other records obtained from a school in which a student was previously enrolled.

• Sole possession records (memory-jogging records) or private notes held by school officials that are not accessible or released to other personnel
• Law enforcement or campus security records that are solely for law enforcement purposes and maintained solely by the law enforcement unit
• Records relating to individuals who are employed by the institution (unless contingent upon attendance)
• Records relating to treatment provided by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional and disclosed only to individuals providing treatment
• Records of an institution that contain only information about an individual obtained after that person is no longer a student at that institution (alumni records)

A school official may be: an employee of a college (administrative, supervisory, academic, research, support or student staff); a person elected to the Board of Governors; a company or person employed/contracted by a college to perform a special task (i.e., attorney, auditor, or collection agency); a person or student serving on an official committee (i.e., disciplinary/grievance, scholarship) or assisting an official in his/her tasks.

Read UCM’s detailed guidelines, “Policy Implementing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act at the University of Central Missouri”, to learn more about how FERPA is handled at UCM. Copies of this document may also be obtained in the Registrar’s Office in Ward Edwards, suite 1000.

UCM's Annual Notification of Rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Visit the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers webpage.

Visit the U.S. Department of Education's FERPA webpage.

Directory information may be shared, unless steps are taken to restrict that information. Students who wish to suppress public access to their directory information can do so by contacting the Office of the Registrar in the Ward Edwards Building, Room 1000 (660-543-4900 or registrar@ucmo.edu)

If directory suppression is chosen, no information will be released about a student to third parties without their signature. Any requests for such information from UCM will be refused. This includes, but is not limited to: prospective employers; the printed commencement program; submissions to hometown newspapers regarding Dean’s List designation or graduation announcements; requested lists of students for consideration for scholarships, memberships, etc.

This also means that the student will not be able to call and receive their own information over the phone. Information about a student’s account will only be released to them in person, via their UCM e-mail account, or with a signed release.

This request will be honored until the Office of the Registrar receives written authorization from the student to revoke this request, even if no longer enrolled at UCM.

Please note: the law allows the university to release directory information, even if a suppression of records is on file with the university, under certain circumstances. Examples include a health or safety emergency or with a lawful subpoena or court order.

The No Call list is a list of residential telephone numbers of Missourians who have indicated to the Attorney General's Office that they don't want to be called by telemarketers at home. The law prohibits telemarketers from calling households that have been added to the list, with some exceptions that have been written into the law. You can register all your home phone numbers.

You may register by electronically submitting a form or by calling toll-free 1-866-NOCALL1 (1-866-662-2551). There is no cost to consumers to get on the list. There will be a cost to telemarketers to get copies of the list.

The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free. Click here to register.

When the disclosure is (one or more of the following):

• To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest
• To federal, state and local authorities involving an audit or evaluation of compliance with educational programs
• In connection with financial aid; this includes Veterans’ benefits
• To officials of another school where a student seeks or intends to enroll
• To organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of the institution
• To accrediting organizations
• To comply with a judicial order or subpoena
• In a health or safety emergency
• Releasing directory information (unless the student has a block on this information)
• Releasing the results of a disciplinary hearing to an alleged victim of a crime of violence.

Students must sign a Transcript Request form or place a transcript order in MyCentral.

UCM sends official transcripts via paper mail, fax, and email. Transcripts are $10 per copy. Transcripts cannot be faxed outside of the United States.  Faxed and emailed transcripts may not be considered official – please check first with the receiving institution before placing a transcript order.  Requests for pdf transcripts may be made by fax, mail, e-mail, or in person.  Unfortunately, our online ordering system does not accommodate requests for pdf transcripts. 

See our instructions for ordering transcripts for more information.  If you are placing your order by mail, fax, or e-mail please use our pdf request form. Online orders in MyCentral can be accepted for students who attended UCM 1982 or later.