Office of the Registrar › Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, Naropa University has used the following definitions of terms:

  • Student — Any person who attends or has attended Naropa University
  •  
  • Education Records — Any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film or other medium) maintained by Naropa University, or an agent of the University, which is directly related to a student, except:

  1. A personal record kept by a staff member if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record and is not accessible or revealed to any other persons except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.
  2. Records created and maintained by Naropa University Facilities Department for law enforcement purposes.
  3. An employment record of an individual whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he or she is a student, provided the record is used only in relation to the individual’s employment.
  4. Records made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those persons providing the treatment.
  5. Alumni records which contain information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at the University and which do not relate to the person as a student.

Annual Notification

Students will be notified of their FERPA rights annually by publication in the student handbook.

Students may inspect and review their education records upon request to the appropriate record custodian.

 

Students should submit to the record custodian or an appropriate University staff person a written request which identifies as precisely as possible the record or records he or she wishes to inspect.

 

The record custodian or an appropriate University staff person will make the needed arrangements for access as promptly as possible and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. Access must be given in 45 days or less from the receipt of the request.

 

When a record contains information about more than one student, the student may inspect and review only the records which relate to him.

Naropa University reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect the following records:

  1. The financial statement of the student’s parents.
  2. Letters and statements of recommendation for which the student has waived their right of access, or which were placed in file before January 1, 1975.
  3. Records connected with an application to attend Naropa University if that application was denied.
  4. Those records which are excluded from the FERPA definition of education records.

Naropa University reserves the right to deny transcripts or copies of records not required to be made available by FERPA in any of the following situations:

  1. The student lives within commuting distance of Naropa University.
  2. The student has an unpaid financial obligation to the University.
  3. There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student.

The fee for copies will be $1.00 per page with a maximum of $30.00

Types, Locations & Custodians of Education Records

TypesLocationCustodian
Admissions RecordsRegistration OfficeRegistrar
Cumulative Academic Records (Current Students and one semester after graduation or withdrawal)Registration OfficeRegistrar
Cumulative Academic Records (Former students; over one semester after graduation or withdrawal)Registration OfficeRegistrar
Financial RecordsBursar’s OfficeBursar
Academic Progress RecordsOffice of AdvisingAcademic Advisor
Disciplinary RecordsStudent Affairs OfficeDean of Students
Occasional Records (Student education records not included in the types or listed above such as minutes of faculty committee meetings, copies of correspondence in offices not listed, etc.)The appropriate official will collect such records, direct the student to their location, or otherwise make them available for inspection and reviewThe University staff person who maintains such occasional systems records

Disclosure of Education Records

Naropa University will disclose information from a student’s education records only with the written consent of the student, except:

  1. To school officials who have a legitimate education interest in the records.

    A school official is:

    • A person employed by Naropa University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position.

    • A person elected to the Board of Trustees.

    • A person employed by or under contract to the University to perform a special task, such as the attorney or auditor.

    The following criteria outline the circumstances under which a school official’s request for student information is a legitimate education interest:

    • The official must seek the information within the context of the responsibilities that he or she has been assigned;

    • The information sought must be used within the context of official University business and not for purposes extraneous to the official’s area of responsibility or to the University;

    • The information request must be relevant and necessary to the accomplishment of some task or to making some determination within the scope of University employment;

  2. To officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Naropa University will forward records upon request without notifying the student of the transfer of records.

  3. To certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs.

  4. In connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount, or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.

  5. If required by a state law requiring disclosure that was adopted before November 19, 1974.

  6. To organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the University.

  7. To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions.

  8. To parents of an eligible student who claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.

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

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

  11. Directory information so designated by the University.

  12. The results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the University against an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence to the alleged victim of that crime.

Record of Requests for Disclosure

Naropa University will maintain a record of all requests for and/or disclosure of information from a student’s education records. The record will indicate the name of the party making the request, any additional party to whom it may be re-disclosed, and the legitimate interest the party had in requesting or obtaining the information. The record may be reviewed by the parents or eligible student.

Directory Information

Naropa University designates the following items as Directory Information: student name, address, student email, telephone number, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and most recent previous school attended. The University may disclose any of those items without prior written consent, unless notified in writing to the contrary.

Correction of Education Records

Students have the right to ask, within one year of completing the course in question, to have records corrected that they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy rights. Student records are destroyed in compliance with Naropa’s record retention plan after five years of non-attendance. Following are the procedures for the correction of records:

  1. A student must ask the Registrar of Naropa University to amend a record. In so doing, the student should identify the part of the record the student wants changed and specify why the student believes it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of their privacy or other rights.
  2. Naropa University may comply with the request or it may decide not to comply. If it decides not to comply, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of their right to a hearing to challenge the information believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights.
  3. Upon request, Naropa University will arrange for a hearing, and notify the student, reasonably in advance, of the date, place, and time of the hearing.
  4. The hearing will be conducted by a hearing officer who is a disinterested party; however, the hearing officer may be an official of the University. The student shall be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present evidence relevant to the issues raised in the original request to amend the student’s education records. The student may be assisted by one or more individuals, including an attorney.
  5. Naropa University will prepare a written decision based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing. The decision will include a summary of the evidence presented and the reasons for the decision.
  6. If Naropa University decides that the challenged information is not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s right of privacy, it will notify the student that the student has a right to place in the record a statement commenting on the challenged information and/or a statement setting forth reasons for disagreeing with the decision.
  7. The statement will be maintained as part of the student’s education records as long as the contested portion is maintained. If Naropa University discloses the contested portion of the record, it must also disclose the statement.
  8. If Naropa University decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s right of privacy, it will amend the record and notify the student, in writing, that the record has been amended. 

FERPA–Related Forms

(found in the Registrar site on MyNaropa)

  • Request for Non-release of Student Directory Information—Use this to request that Naropa University not release any of your information, including restrictions on verification of your degree.
  • Student Waiver of FERPA Rights—Use this form to grant permission for another person to view your records.

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Naropa Campuses Closed on Friday, March 15, 2024

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.