Directory Information Policy

As its discretion Truman State University may provide directory information in accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.  Directory information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Designated directory information at Truman State University includes the following: student name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, place of birth, major field of study, class status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, enrollment status (including hours enrolled), degrees and awards received, and most recent previous school attended. Students may withhold directory information by placing a restriction on their records.

Truman State University’s FERPA policy is available for review below.  Questions concerning this law and the University’s procedures regarding release of academic information may be directed to the Registrar’s Office at 660-785-4143.

FERPA Policy Statement

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) ensures students certain rights regarding their educational records. As a student at Truman State University, you have the following rights:

  1. The right to inspect and review your education records.
  2. The right to request the amendment of your education records to ensure that they are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of your privacy or other rights.
  3. The right to a hearing if your request for an amendment of your educational records is denied.
  4. The right to prevent disclosures of directory information contained in your educational records, except the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Items that Truman State University recognizes as directory information are listed in the University’s student record policy, which is available below.
  5. The right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint of alleged failures by Truman State University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
  6. The right to know that school officials at Truman State University may obtain information from educational records without obtaining your prior written consent; who is considered a school official; and what legitimate educational interest will entitle school officials to have access to education records. These policies are outlined in Truman State University’s student records policy, which is available below.

For the purpose of this policy, Truman State University has used the following definition of terms.

Student
any person who attends or has attended Truman State University.
Education records
any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, electronic, student id photographs, or other medium) maintained by Truman State University or an agent of the university that is directly related to a student, except:

  1. A personal record kept by a faculty or 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 person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record.
  2. 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.
  3. Records maintained by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) if the record is maintained solely for law enforcement purposes and are segregated from other student records.
  4. Records maintained by the Student Health Center if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those persons providing treatment.
  5. Records maintained by University Counseling Services if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those persons providing treatment.
  6. 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 that person as a student.
  7. Parents’ financial records are not available to students.
  8. Financial assistance and financial aid records.

Students will be notified of their FERPA rights via their Truman email the first week of classes for the fall and spring semesters. The information they receive includes links to Truman State University’s FERPA web pages. A copy of this policy can also be requested by contacting the Registrar’s Office at registrar@truman.edu or 660-785-4143.

In order to review their records, 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 and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.  Access must be given within 15 working days from the receipt of the request during the regular academic year.  Requests made at other times may be delayed.

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

  1. The student has unpaid financial obligations to the University.
  2. There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student.

The custodian of the records may impose reasonable fees for copies of records.

Truman State University discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official typically includes a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee.

A school official may also include a volunteer or contractor outside of the University who performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the University.

Other exceptions are:

  1. To officials of other schools, upon request of the student, in which the student seeks or intends to enroll.
  2. To certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and the state and local education authorities in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs.
  3. 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.
  4. If required by a state law requiring disclosure that was adopted before November 19, 1974.
  5. To organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the University.
  6. To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions.
  7. To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena.
  8. To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.
  9. To an alleged victim of any crime of violence, the results of any institutional disciplinary proceeding against the alleged perpetrator of that crime.
  10. To parents of students under the age of 21 who have violated the Student Conduct Code or Missouri State laws relative to substance abuse as deemed appropriate by the University’s Judicial Officer.
  11. To parents of students who are considered a dependent student under the Internal Revenue Code.
  12. To appropriate Federal officials authorized to view private student records in accordance with Federal law.

The appropriate records custodian at Truman State 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 redisclosed (if known), and the legitimate interest the party had in requesting or obtaining the information.  The record may be reviewed by the eligible student or parents of a student who has filed the proper paperwork with the record custodian.

Truman State University designates the following items as Directory Information: student name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, place of birth, major field of study, class status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, enrollment status (including hours enrolled), 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 by the student prior to the request for disclosure.

Students have the right to request the amendment of educational records that they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of privacy rights.  Following are the procedures for the correction of records:

  1. A student must ask the appropriate record custodian of Truman State University to amend a record.  In so doing, the student should identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why they believe it is inaccurate, misleading or in violation of their privacy or other rights.
  2. If Truman State University decides not to amend the record as requested, the University will notify the student in writing of the decision and of the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.
  3. Upon request, Truman State University will arrange for a hearing, and notify the student, reasonably in advance, of the date, place, and time of the hearing.
  4. Truman State 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.
  5. If Truman State 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 they have 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.
  6. The statement will be maintained as part of the student’s education records as long as the contested portion is maintained.  If Truman State University discloses the contested portion of the record, it must also disclose the statement.
  7. If Truman State 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.

The following is a list of the types of records that the University maintains, their locations, and their custodians.  The University complies with State and Federal guidelines regarding the duration of record retention.

Type of Record Location Custodian
Undergraduate Admission Records (upon matriculation) and Cumulative Academic Records Registrars Office
McClain 104		 Registrar
Graduate Admission and Cumulative Graduate Student Records Graduate Office
McClain 203		 Graduate Studies
Health Records Student Health Center
McKinney Center		 Director, Student Health Center
Financial Records Business Office
McClain 105		 Controller
Placement Records University Career Center
Student Union 1110		 Director, University Career Center
Judicial/Student Conduct Records Student Life Office
Student Union 3100		 Dean of Student Life
Financial Assistance Records Financial Aid Office
McClain 103		 Director of Financial Aid
Academic Probation and Suspension Records Center for Academic Excellence
Pickler Memorial Library 108		 Director, Center for Academic Excellence
Immigration Records Center for International Students (CIS)
Baldwin Hall 129		 International Student Advisor