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preparation and the hands-on experience employers demand at a fraction of the cost
of other universities. Pick courses that fit your schedule and create an education
tailored to your vision and needs. Welcome to UBalt!
Understanding FERPA
Below are common situations you may encounter as a staff or faculty member.
Directory information may be released without the student's written consent provided
the student has not submitted a nondisclosure request to the Office of Records and
Registration. The records of students who have requested non-disclosure of directory
information are flagged on the student administration system. The University of Baltimore
has designated the following as directory information for its students:
Student's name
Campus email
Degrees sought and time
Major/minor fields of study
College of major and year (freshman, sophomore, etc.)
Enrollment status (full-time, part-time) including credit hours
Dates of attendance
Degrees, awards and honors conferred
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student
Fraternity/sorority and honor societies
Personally identifiable information that is not categorized as directory information (meaning anything other than specified above)
may be released without the student's written consent to "school officials" whom the
institution has determined to have a "legitimate educational interest," or to others
as specified by law. Such information may not, however, be released to other individuals
including the student's parent, without a signed, written release from the student.
The Office of Community Life houses waivers that have been signed by the student.
This information is noted on PeopleSoft. Those students who have requested non-disclosure
of directory information are flagged on the PeopleSoft system.
An institution is not obligated to release directory information to anyone. FERPA
only says that an institution may release information, but there is no obligation to do so. When in doubt, do not release information.
The privacy rights of an individual expire with that individual's death. Access to
records held by an institution for a deceased person is not a FERPA issue but a matter
of institutional policy. UBalt will exercise its own discretion in deciding whether,
and under what conditions, information should be disclosed to survivors or third parties.
Individuals requesting information from the record of a deceased student should be
directed to the Office of Records and Registration.
FERPA does not preclude an institution from identifying students as "school officials"
with a "legitimate educational interest" for specific purposes. The same requirements
and responsibilities for a full time school official exist for student workers.
Students have the right to inspect the contents of their student folder, regardless
of their financial status with the institution. An institution is not required, however,
to release an official transcript if the student has a past due account. Official
transcripts may be released only by the Office of Records and Registration.
Under FERPA, the student has the right to request that the institution not disclose
Directory Information. To request non-disclosure the student must complete a "Request
to Withhold Directory Information" form in the Office of Records and Registration.
The student's record will be flagged to indicate non-disclosure is in effect, and
will remain in force until the student withdraws the request. Students interested
in restricting the release of directory information should be referred to the Office
of Records and Registration.
Such things as progress in a course, deficiencies in a subject area, scores and grades
on papers, exams, etc. are all examples of personally identifiable information that
make up part of the student's education record. This information is protected under
FERPA and the parents may not have access unless the student has provided you with
written authorization that specifically identifies what information may be released
to the parent(s). However, you should direct parents to the Dean of Students Office
when questions such as these occur. The Dean will confirm if authorization has been
signed by the student.
If non-directory information is needed to resolve a crisis or emergency situation,
an education institution may release that information if the institution determines
that the information is "necessary to protect the health or safety of the student
or other individuals." In the case of an emergency, contact the Office of Public Safety
at 410-837-5520.
General questions may be directed to the University Registrar or to the office responsible for the record being sought.
