FERPA Notice

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

  1. The right to inspect and review your education records within 45 days of the day UNCSA receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar, dean, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The UNCSA 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 official to whom the request was submitted, that 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, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. Students may ask UNCSA to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. They should write the UNCSA official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. If UNCSA decides not to amend the records as requested by the student, UNCSA will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his her 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 disclosure 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 UNCSA in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personal and health staff); outside contractors or volunteers if UNCSA would otherwise hire someone to perform that individual’s job, UNCSA directly controls that individual’s use of education records, and UNCSA subjects that individual to the requirements of FERPA; a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

    A school official has legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, UNCSA discloses education records without consent to officials of another school, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department Education concerning alleged failures by UNCSA to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20202-4605

Notice of Directory Information
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), “directory information” at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts is defined to include: the student’s name, parents’ names, addresses, telephone listings, date and place of birth, major field of study, class level, participation in officially recognized activities, performance brochures, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student, e-mail address, and full- or part-time status. Some of this information, including name, mailing address, field of study, class level, telephone number and e-mail address may be included on UNCSA’s website.

Directory information is considered public information and will be released unless the student requests a “privacy hold.” All other information is considered private, and will not be released outside the School without the written permission of the student, unless a specific exception under FERPA applies.

Procedure to Request Non-Disclosure of Directory Information (Privacy Hold)
Students who wish to request a “privacy hold” on the release of directory information from their student records must notify the Registrar in writing. This is commonly referred to as a request for “non-disclosure.” A Non-Disclosure of Directory Information form is available in the Office of the Registrar, Welcome Center building, room 224. Such requests remain in effect unless the student notifies the UNCSA Registrar in writing to remove the block.

The Annual Notification of Rights under FERPA is published in each of the UNCSA Bulletins.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts FERPA Policy can be found in the policy manual

University of North Carolina (general administration) FERPA Policy 700.2

Questions concerning student rights under FERPA should be addressed to the Office of the Registrar.