Education at OHSU

Education at OHSU

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) governs students' right to inspect, review, and control access to their educational records. FERPA affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution at any age.

Release Forms

Use the forms below to authorize release of your records to a third party.

Directory Information

FERPA allows educational institutions to designates certain information as “directory information” and to release that information without students' written permission. Directory information is information contained in the education records that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed, such as name and degree earned. A complete list of directory information at OHSU can be found in the Education Records Policy. Students may request in writing that their directory information not be released without their written consent by completing the Request to Restrict Directory Information. Please read the form carefully before signing it to understand the impacts of restricting your directory information.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution at any age.) These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days after the day Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) receives a request for access. A student should submit to the registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the registrar, the registrar shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

A student who wishes to ask OHSU to amend a record should write to the registrar, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

If OHSU decides not to amend the record as requested, OHSU will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to provide written consent before OHSU discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

For example, OHSU discloses PII from students’ education records without prior written consent of the student to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is defined in OHSU Policy 02-20-005 Education Records as: a person employed by OHSU in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, student staff or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health service staff); a person, company, or entity with whom OHSU has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, software vendor or service provider); a person serving on the OHSU Board of Directors; or a student or volunteer community member serving on an official committee (such as a scholarship, disciplinary or grievance committee) or assisting another school official in performing their duties.

FERPA also permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records without written consent of the student if the information is classified as Directory Information, unless a student requests in writing that Directory Information not be disclosed without their written consent. Directory Information is Information contained in a student's Education Records that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.

OHSU classifies the following as Directory Information:
(1) Directory Information for external disclosure and purposes (outside of OHSU's network and community) is limited to:
i. Full name;
ii. Major(s) or field(s) of study;
iii. Dates of attendance;
iv. Enrollment status (e.g. undergraduate or graduate, full time or part-time);
v. Degree(s), certificate(s), honor(s) or award(s) and date(s) received for each.

(2) Directory Information for internal disclosure and purposes (within OHSU's network and community) is limited to:
i. External directory information outlined in (1);
ii. OHSU address(es);
iii. OHSU telephone number(s);
iv. OHSU email address.

(3) Directory Information for the purposes of providing information to Graduate Researchers United (GRU), so long as the items are provided exclusively to the GRU and no other entity/organization is limited to:
i. A student's status as a Member of the Bargaining Unit represented by the GRU;
ii. Internal directory information outlined in (2).
OHSU may also disclose education records without a student’s prior written consent under the circumstances outlined for disclosures without prior consent in OHSU Policy 02-20-005 Education Records. 

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by OHSU to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202