Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords a student certain rights with respect to their educational records. CSU acknowledges this law as University policy.

Under the provisions of this law, students are entitled to the following privileges:

Inspection and review of the student’s educational records.
Request of amendments to the student’s records to ensure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights.
Consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Columbia Southern University to comply with FERPA requirements in the instance that a complaint cannot be resolved within the University.

Requests by students to inspect, review, or amend must be submitted in writing and identify the following:

Record the student wishes to inspect
Purpose of the disclosure
Records that may be disclosed
The party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made
Signature and date

Recently, the FERPA regulations have been amended to allow that request to be made electronically. In addition to the aforementioned information, the consent form must:

identify and authenticate a particular person as the source of the electronic consent; and
indicate that person's approval of the information contained in the electronic consent.

For requests to amend, students must clearly identify the portion of the educational record the student is requesting be changed, and specify why the record should be changed. If the requested change is not approved, the student will be notified of the University’s decision, and the student’s right to a hearing. Students are informed of those instances where FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent in the Catalogue information (electronically and in print).

However, FERPA allows schools to disclose student records, without consent, to the following parties:

School officials with legitimate educational interest
Other schools to which a student is transferring
Specified officials for audit of evaluation purposes
Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student
Organizations conducing certain studies for or on behalf of the school
Accrediting organizations
Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies
State and local authorities

Release of student “directory” information is also permitted by FERPA. Columbia Southern Universities identifies “directory” information as name, address, telephone number, email address, date and place of birth, honors and awards, dates of attendance, major field of study, enrollment status, previous institutions attended, photograph or other comparable information.

Personally identifiable information (or non releasable information) includes all information not defined as directory information and may not be released without expressed written consent of the student. Students may control the release of directory information by notifying the Registrar’s Office at Columbia Southern University in writing. Upon receipt of this request, a Privacy Hold will be placed on the student’s record.

To Whose Record does the Act apply?
FERPA applies to the education records of persons who are, or have been, in attendance at Columbia Southern University, including students in continuing education programs sponsored by the university. FERPA does not apply to records of applicants who are denied admittance or, if accepted, do not attend Columbia Southern University.

To What Records Does the Act Apply?
The act applies to all education records maintained by Columbia Southern University, and all parties acting for Columbia Southern University, which are directly related to a student. Records containing a student's name, identification number, or other personally identifiable information, in whatever medium, are covered by FERPA unless identified in one of the act's excluded categories.

Enforcement and Penalties
The Registrar is responsible for university compliance with this policy. Responsibility for administering the act by the federal government has been assigned to the Family Policy Compliance Office within the United States Department of Education. This office reviews and investigates complaints and attempts to bring compliance through voluntary means.

Contact Us
Please contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns about our privacy policy.
Columbia Southern University
25326 Canal Road
Orange Beach, Alabama 36561
800.977.8449
registrar@columbiasouthern.edu