George Mason University

Notification of Rights Under The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, the official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student's 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 should write to the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If GMU 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.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which 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 or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom GMU has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Visitors; 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 education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the university discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intend to enroll.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by GMU to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Submit complaints to: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.

Public Notice Designating Directory Information

George Mason University hereby designates the following three categories of student information as public or "Directory Information".* Such information may be disclosed by the university without the student's prior consent under the conditions set forth in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

1. PUBLICATION in future GMU student directories of name, address, telephone number, major and e-mail address.

2. BIO-DEMO INFORMATION including address(es), telephone number(s), date and place of birth. Also includes publication information.

3. **NAME AND ACADEMIC INFORMATION including disclosure of name, dates of attendance, class, enrolled hours , enrollment status, previous institutions, major field of study, awards, honors (including dean's list), degrees conferred including dates, past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, and physical factors (height and weight of athletes). Also includes bio-demo and publication information.

Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of directory information under FERPA. To withhold disclosure, students must present a photo ID in person at the Registrar's Office, Room 1 N. Chesapeake and complete the Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form. The form may be submitted at any time throughout the year and will immediately affect prospective disclosures. George Mason University assumes that failure on the part of any student to specifically request the withholding of a category of Directory Information indicates individual approval for disclosure.

Former students may not place a new request for nondisclosure of directory information on their education records, however, they may request its removal.

Requests to withhold your information from the campus directory must be submitted to the Registrar's Office by 5 o'clock pm on Friday of the first week of classes of the fall semester.

*PLEASE NOTE: Photo images from ID cards are no longer deemed to be directory information. Photo images from ID cards will not be released to third parties without the student's consent except as authorized by FERPA.

**Students who elect this category must conduct all university business either in person with a photo ID card or from a remote location with an original notarized request. Such students names will be published in the commencement program unless the students' request exclusion in writing. Students in this category are eligible to use interactive voice response (telephone) and other electronic systems, such as MasonLink, for transactions including registration which are protected by a personal identification number (PIN).

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