Students have a right:

• To know about the purposes, content and location of information kept as part of their educational records.
• To gain access to and challenge the content of their educational records.
• To expect that information in their educational records will be kept confidential, disclosed only with their permission or under provisions of the law.
• To permit or prevent disclosure of certain information in their educational records.

Parents have the right to expect:

• Confidentiality of certain information about them in student records.
• Access to non-directory information only with the student's prior written consent.

Semi-Annual notification to students:

East Texas A&M University encourages students to exercise all of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g). Operating under the premise that the educational process is a cooperative venture between a student and the university, the university emphasizes the following rights of students:

1. The right to inspect and review, with certain limited exceptions, the student's education records, including the right to receive explanations and interpretations of the records and to obtain copies of the records when such are needed to allow the student to effectively exercise his/her right of inspection and review. Conduct files maintained by Student Rights and Responsibilities will be administered under its rules. Students who want to inspect and review their education records should submit a written request that identifies the record(s) to the Registrar’s Office using the e-mail RegOfc@tamuc.edu  The Registrar’s office 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 office to whom the request was submitted, the Registrar’s office will advise the student of the correct school official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to seek amendment of a student's education records when the records are inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of FERPA. A student wishing to seek amendment of education records should notify the Registrar’s Office. The notice must be written and specifically identify the desired amendment and the basis for the request. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested, the university will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s 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 or entity:

1. employed by the university or the university system in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position;
2. serving on a university governing body or duly authorized panel or committee; or
3. not employed by the university who performs an institutional task, function, or service for which the university would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the university with respect to the use and maintenance of education records.

• A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the information requested is necessary for that official to fulfill their professional responsibility, such as to

1. perform appropriate tasks that are specified in their position description or in the performance of regularly assigned duties by their supervisor;
2. fulfill the terms of a contractual agreement;
3. perform a task related to a student’s education;
4. perform a task related to the discipline of a student; or
5. provide a service or benefit relating to the student or student’s family, such as health care, counseling, financial aid, job placement, or former student-related activities.

• The university, in accordance with FERPA, also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school where the student seeks or intends to enroll or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is requested by the other school and for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.

4. The right to file a complaint with the Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

All the rights and protections given under FERPA belong to the student. However, information in student records may be provided to parents/legal guardians without the written consent of the student if the eligible student is a financial dependent of his or her parents/legal guardians as defined under Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

For procedures on how to inspect and review or correct education records, please refer to  https://inside.tamuc.edu/admissions/registrar/ferpa/default.aspx