Access to Student Information

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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Under provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, students have the right of access to official records maintained on them by Reinhardt University. A student may inspect and review their educational records by filing a written request with the Registrar. Although access may be normally obtained without undue delay, officials are permitted a 45-day period within which to respond to any request.

Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, also provides that the following categories of information may be released by the university as public unless the student chooses to have the information withheld. Such information may be released routinely to certain inquirers and the news media unless the student requests in writing the fall semester of each year that either all or any part of this list be withheld.

  1.  Name. 
  2. Address, including: 
    1. Home. 
    2. Residence hall and room number. 
    3. Local off-campus address. 
  3. Current telephone listing.
  4. Place of birth. 
  5. Major field of study. 
  6. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports. 
  7. Weight and height, if a member of an athletic team. 
  8. Dates of attendance, including current classification and year, matriculation, and withdrawal dates. 
  9. Degrees, awards, and honors received, including dates granted. 
  10. The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended.

Release of Information

Without the student’s written consent, Reinhardt University does not release confidential information to anyone other than: 

  • Reinhardt University personnel requiring information for the proper performance of their duties; 
  • organizations conducting studies for educational and governmental agencies; accrediting agencies; 
  • appropriate persons in case of health or safety emergencies; 
  • agencies or offices in connection with the student’s application for or receipt of financial aid; governmental officials, as identified in Public Law 93-380; 
  • parents of dependent children as defined in the Internal Revenue code of 1954; 
  • and an appropriate official in response to a court order. 

Students who wish to release routine grade reports or other official correspondence to parents must complete a signed authorization form with the Office of the Registrar.

FERPA Annual Notice to Reflect Possible Federal and State Data Collection and Use

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expanded the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records – including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information – may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal of State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution.

Second, Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use -restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share your PII without your consent from your education records. They may also track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.