University of Mississippi Medical Center
School of Medicine
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 Institutional Policies and Procedures
Student Access to Records
Each year, the University of Mississippi Medical Center informs entering students of their rights of access to their official recordsas stated in the law. By written request to the Division of Student Records and Registrar, students who are or who have been in attendance may review recorded information maintained by the institution for use in making decisions about students.
For the purposes of student records and the policies and procedures pertaining thereto, students are defined as individuals who have been admitted to, and are in attendance or have been in attendance in an educational unit of the institution as described in this catalog under the section headings of School of Medicine; Graduate Programs in the Medical Sciences; School of Nursing; School of Health Related Professions; School of Dentistry; and Postgraduate Education. Recorded information includes grades, copies of correspondence sent to the students by the educational programs and other institutional offices, requests from prospective employers and other agencies requesting verification of dates of attendance and degrees awarded, and correspondence from currently enrolled students and former students requesting transcripts, letters of academic standing, and completion of licensure applications. The recorded information also includes a permanent grade card and a folder containing application materials and supporting documents such as transcripts from previous schools, supplementary material submitted with the application, personal letters of recommendation and standardized test scores.
Confidential letters or statements of recommendation to which students have waived access rights are not available for inspection. As defined by the law, students do not have access to medical, psychiatric, or comparable records if these are used exclusively for treatment purposes. However, students may designate an appropriate professional to examine these records. Students do not have the right to see parents' financial records submitted to the institution. Students do not have access to: instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel records which are not accessible or revealed to any other individual; campus security records which are used exclusively for law enforcement purposes, and which are not disclosed to individuals other than law enforcement officials; and employment records except when such employment requires that the person be a student.
Under the law, students may not see confidential letters or statements of recommendations written prior to January 1, 1975, and may, but are not required to, waive the right of access to future confidential letters of recommendations. Annually, the institution secures from students their instructions regarding their access rights to confidential letters or statements of recommendation written on their behalf while enrolled at the Medical Center. These signed statements are permanently filed in the students' folders. Any questions concerning student access to records should be directed to the Registrar.
Release of Information
The institution is prohibited from releasing educational information or personally identifiable information other than directory information about the students without their written consent except to specified agencies and persons such as school officials and certain federal or state offices as defined in the law. Directory information includes: students' names; the educational program they are enrolled in and their classification; home and local addresses; and local telphone numbers. Students who wish to exclude themselves from the directory must file a written request with the Registrar's Office within two weeks after the beginning of the school year.
Accuracy of Educational Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, allows students to challenge the contents of their educational records on the basis of accuracy. Students who request that information be amended or deleted from their records on the basis of incorrect information should first file their request to the official primarily responsible for the information. If the matter is not resolved to their satisfaction, students may request a formal hearing before an appropriate institutional body or consult Section 99.36 of the law's regulations for additional grievance procedures. The Registrar will furnish a copy of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 1974, upon request. Notification of rights guaranteed under PL 93380 and policies and procedures pertaining to educational records is provided to all students through this catalog section and by a memorandum distributed at the time of registration and in the orientation sessions for the school year.
