Access to University Records
Messiah University respects student rights guaranteed by law and appropriate to a private, Christian educational setting. Messiah University maintains student records under the guidelines of the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which gives enrolled students the right to inspect their “education records” and to restrict the release of those records. Education records are defined generally as records, files, documents, and other materials maintained by the University which contain information directly related to the student and from which a student can be individually identified. Examples include academic records, student account records, and many records maintained by Student Affairs. Education records do not include personal records of instructors or administrators, medical records, financial records of parents, or Public Safety records created for the purpose of law enforcement.
FERPA permits (but does not require) the University to release “directory information” without student consent to anyone requesting information. Directory information at Messiah University includes a student’s name, home address, telephone numbers, campus email address, photograph (available only on an internal online student directory and faculty class rosters), dates of attendance, degree for which a student is a candidate, academic major, academic advisor, academic awards or honors, class year, full-time/part-time status, and weight and height for members of athletic teams. Directory information does not include a student’s social security number or student identification number.
Additionally, the University may provide lists of student names by religious preference (if known) once each year in response to inquiries by local churches. The University does not, however, release directory information to outside organizations for commercial solicitation.
Any student may opt for directory privacy in the Student Directory Profile (Privacy Settings) found in Banner Self-Service, which allows students to block any or all of the directory information appearing in the campus-wide online directory. Students who opt to block all of their directory information will be excluded from any lists provided to authorized internal and external departments. Thus, information that may otherwise be communicated to a student’s family (events, commencement, etc.) will not be. This profile will be effective until rescinded by the student. Any student who for legal or other legitimate reasons requires the highest level of records privacy must meet with the Dean of the School of Graduate & Professional Studies and the Registrar to discuss the circumstances involved.
FERPA authorizes the University to disclose personally identifiable information from education records without a student’s consent to appropriate parties, including parents/guardians/significant other of an eligible student (even if the student is not a dependent for income tax purposes), in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. In making this determination, the University may take into account the totality of the circumstances pertaining to a threat to the health or safety of a student or other individuals. If the University determines that there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of a student or other individuals, it may disclose information from education records to any person whose knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. The University must keep a record of the threat, the basis for its determination, and the names of the parties to whom the information was disclosed.
FERPA also authorizes the University to disclose personally identifiable information from education records without a student’s consent in several other specific situations. Some of these are as follows: (1) to comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena, including an ex parte court order under the USA Patriot Act; (2) to another institution that has requested the records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer; (3) to designated federal or state agencies; (4) in connection with financial aid for which the student has applied; (5) to alleged victims of any crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense of the final results of a disciplinary proceeding conducted by the University against the alleged perpetrator of that crime or offense, regardless of whether the University concluded a violation was committed; (6) to anyone – not just the victim – the final results of a disciplinary proceeding if it determines that the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has been found to have violated the University’s rules or policies; (7) information concerning a student who is required to register as a sex offender provided under a state sex offender registration and campus community notification program; (8) to organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of the University for purposes of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, or improving instruction; and (9) to school officials determined by the University to have a legitimate educational interest.