FERPA Information

These rights include:

The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit to the appropriate university official a written request that identifies the record they wish to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify the students of the time and place where the records may be inspected.

What is considered an educational record?

• Academic records
• Admission records
• Athletic records
• Disciplinary records
• Financial aid records
• Tuition payment records
• Veterans records

The following exceptions to the above list apply:

• Confidential letters and recommendations placed in student files prior to 1975.
• Parents’ financial records.
• Records connected to the application to MSOE if the application was denied.
• Education records containing information about more than one student, in which case the university will permit access only to that part of the record which pertains to the inquiring student.
• Alumni records or any records created after the student left school.
• All other records excluded by FERPA.

The right to request the amendment of the student’s educational records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the university to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why they believe it is in error. If the university official decides not to amend the record, the university will notify the student of the decision and, if applicable, advise the student of the process to appeal that decision.

The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

Milwaukee School of Engineering will disclose information from a student’s educational records only with the written consent of the student except:

A. To an MSOE official with a legitimate educational interest in the records.

An MSOE official is:

• A person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position.
• A person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent).
• A person serving on the Board of Regents.
• A student serving on an official committee or assisting another MSOE official in performing his or her tasks.

An MSOE official has a legitimate educational interest if the official is:

• Performing a task that is specific in his or her job description or by a contract agreement.
• Performing a task related to a student’s education.
• Performing a task related to the discipline of a student.
• Providing a service or benefit relating to the student, such as counseling, job placement or financial aid.

B. To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions.

C. To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena.

D. To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.

E. To representatives of agencies from which the student has received financial aid.

F. As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records—including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information—may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by MSOE to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The address is:

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office
Department of Education
330 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201

Directory Information

Milwaukee School of Engineering designates certain student information as public or “directory information.” Such information may be disclosed by the university without written consent of the student at the discretion of the institution.

Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of directory information. Forms requesting the withholding of directory information are available online or in the Registrar’s Office. Directory information will then be withheld indefinitely until the Registrar’s Office receives a written revocation of the request for nondisclosure.

The university assumes that failure on the part of any student to make a specific request for the withholding of directory information indicates individual approval for disclosure.

MSOE receives many requests for directory information from many sources including family members, friends, prospective employers, insurance companies, graduate schools, government agencies, etc. Consider very carefully the consequences of any decision by you to prohibit disclosure of directory information. Regardless of the effect upon the student, MSOE assumes no liability as a consequence of honoring instructions that directory information be withheld.

Directory information includes:

• Name
• Addresses
• Telephone numbers
• E-mail address
• Program
• Grade level
• Dates of attendance
• Enrollment status (full time, part time, withdrawn, not enrolled)
• Degrees and honors received
• Participation in officially recognized sports and activities
• Previously attended institutions
• Class schedule
• Photographic, video or electronic images
• Program and promotional materials for school-related materials such as athletics, extra-curricular activities and academic competitions

Please note that non-disclosure of directory information will prohibit the MSOE Marketing and Public Affairs Department from submitting student awards, dean’s list rolls, graduation and similar information to students’ hometown newspapers unless a separate MSOE Hometown News Release Form has been submitted to the Registrar’s Office.