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On
May 20,1975, Tennessee Tech approved a statement of policy that includes
provisions for the release of information
about
students and the rights of students and others to have access to Tech’s
education records. The policy, revised to conform to final regulations
of the U.S. Department of HEW issued on June 17, 1976, is as follows: |
| 1. |
Definitions: |
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(1) |
Education
Records. “EDUCATION RECORDS” is
defined as those records, files, documents, and other material which (1) contain information directly
related to a student and (2) are maintained by TTU or by a person acting for the University.
They do not include: (1) personal notes; (2) records available only to law enforcement personnel;
(3) employment records;
(4) medical and psychiatric records (these are accessible by the student’s
physician).
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(2) |
Student. A student is any person who is or has been enrolled
at TTU. Wherever “student” is
used in reference to personal rights, an eligible parent of a dependent
student has similar rights. This “eligible” parent is one who has satisfied
Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, and who presents proof of such to the Associate Vice
President for Academic Affairs & Enrollment Management. Normally, this will be
a written affirmation by the student and the parent declaring that the student is a dependent
for Federal Income Tax purposes.
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(3) |
Directory Information. “Directory Information” is defined
as: “The student’s name, address,
telephone listing, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation
in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic
teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous
educational agency or institution attended by the student”. At the time a student
registers for courses, the student may notify the Records Office (this must be done in writing) that directory
information for that student may not be released. This notification is effective only
for the one semester for which the student is then registering.
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(4) |
Access. To have access to an EDUCATION RECORD is to be allowed to see
the original
record. It implies the right to obtain copies of that record.
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| 2. |
Release
of Personally Identifiable Student EDUCATION RECORDS. Tennessee Technological University shall not permit access to, or the release
of, any information in the EDUCATION RECORDS of any student that is personally identifiable,
other than Directory Information, without the written consent of the student,
to any party other than the following:
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(1) |
TTU
regular full-time employees who are officials and staff, and who have
legitimate educational interests, including the support of honor societies, academic
excellence, and University organizations, and readmission and disciplinary proceedings
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(2) |
Officials of other schools in which the student seeks admission |
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(3) |
Appropriate persons in connection with a
student’s
application for, or receipt of, financial aid |
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(4) |
Federal or State officials as defined in paragraph 99.35
of the regulations concerning this law |
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(5) |
State and local officials authorized by State statute |
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(6) |
Organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of,
TTU for the purpose of assisting in accomplishing
the University’s stated goals.
When such information will be used only by such organizations and subsequently destroyed when no longer needed
for the intended purpose
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(7) |
Accrediting organization, to carry out their functions |
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(8) |
Parents having prior written consent by the student or parents
of a dependent student as
defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (written
consent may be allowed from either of these separated or divorced parents subject
to any agreement between the parents or court order. In the case of a student whose
legal guardian is an institution, a party independent of the institution, appointed under
state and local law to give parental consent, may be allowed to do so);
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(9) |
In compliance with judicial order or subpoena, provided
that the student is notified in advance
of the compliance
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(10) |
Appropriate persons in connection with an emergency if such
knowledge is necessary to
protect the health or safety of a student or other persons. NOTE: With the exception of TTU officials and staff, who have been
determined by the University to have legitimate educational interests, a notation will
be made in a record which is kept with, and becomes a part of, each student’s EDUCATION
RECORD of all individuals and agencies who have requested or obtained access to
a student’s record.
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| 3. |
Procedure
for Accessing EDUCATION RECORDS. The student requests the
custodian to allow him to peruse the EDUCATION RECORD. The student may ask for an
explanation and/or a copy of the given EDUCATION RECORD. After consultation with
the custodian, errors may be corrected at that time by the custodian. Thereafter,
if the student believes the RECORD to be accurate in content, he/she should acknowledge with his/her
signature and the date; if the student believes the Record content to be inaccurate,
he/she may submit a request for a formal hearing. The request and the challenge, must be presented
in writing to the Director of Records and Registration who will: (1) appoint an Appeals
Committee consisting of four RECORD custodians (none of who is custodian of the RECORD in
question) with one of the four designated as chairman, and (2) designate a time and place
for the first meeting. The Appeals Committee will convene with the student within forty-five days
from the date of the request, allowing the student and/or his/her designee to present relevant
evidence. A written decision will be given to the student within forty-five days after
the conclusion of the hearing. Thereupon, the student may submit to the Committee a written explanation
to be inserted into the RECORD. If the Committee believes the statement to be pertinent,
the explanation will be inserted into the RECORD. NOTE: This procedure does not provide for a hearing to contest the
assignment of an academic grade.
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| 4. |
Right
of Access Does Not Include: |
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(1) |
Financial records of parents or any information therein |
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(2) |
Confidential letters and statements of recommendations which
were placed in the
EDUCATION RECORDS prior to January 1, 1975
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(3) |
RECORDS
to which access has been waived by a student (this applies only if a
student, upon request, is notified of the names of all persons making confidential
recommendations and, if such recommendations are used solely for the purpose they were
intended). |
| 5. |
EDUCATION
RECORDS may be destroyed except that a student shall be granted access
prior to destruction if such is requested.
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| 6. |
TTU shall inform students of
its policy governing “Privacy
Rights of Students” by publishing it
in the annual Student Handbook and in the Fall Semester Schedule of
Classes. The Catalog should indicate where the policy may be found along with the definition
of an “eligible” parent. |
