Under FERPA, students have the right to inspect, review, and amend their personal educational records. Students may submit a written request to view and amend their records. This page details procedures faculty, advisors, and staff must follow upon receiving a request from a student to amend their records.
Basics of Amending a Record
Students are able to request an amendment on their educational records they believe are misleading or inaccurate. This process may not be used to challenge a grade, opinion, or decision made by the university regarding the student.
The student must submit a written statement clearly identifying the parts of the record they want to change and specify why it should be changed.
Procedures for Amending a Record
A student who wishes to ask to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants to change, and specify why it should be changed.
What Can a Student Not Amend?
This process may not be used to challenge a grade, opinion, or decision made by the university regarding the student.
Amending
If the school official responsible for the record agrees the information needs to be amended and the details have been discussed with appropriate personnel, the department may amend the record.
Not Amending
If the university decides not to amend the record as requested, the student will be notified in writing of the decision and their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.
Hearing
If the student would like to follow through with a hearing, the school official responsible for the record will need to set up a meeting together with a non-partial third party and the student. The student then may present evidence to prove that their records were incorrect or misleading. Any decision made must be documented in writing.
If the university is convinced by the hearing, they will amend the records and notify the student.
If the university is not convinced by the hearing, they must allow the student to insert a statement about the contested information to be held with the records.