Annual Notification of Rights under the
Family and Educational Rights Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

Rush University is providing you information regarding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

(1) The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.

Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official 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 University official to whom the request was submitted, that official 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.

Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate.

If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her 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 consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

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

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Rush University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901

Directory Information

In addition, certain information classified by Rush University as “directory information” may be disclosed to the public. The items classified as directory information include: student's full name; local and permanent addresses and phone numbers; pager number (for third and fourth year medical students only); Rush e-mail address; date and place of birth; photograph, major and minor field(s) of study including the college, division, department or program in which the student is enrolled; classification (e.g. junior, senior, etc.) or by number referring to such; photograph; dates of attendance and graduation, and degrees received; previous colleges/universities attended; and degrees earned at previous colleges/universities. Each quarter the Rush University Student Directory is made available online for student, faculty and staff use. It contains student names, local addresses and phone numbers, the student's college and classification. At the time of commencement exercises the following information may be released in public announcements: student's full name, degree and major, previous colleges/universities attended, and previous degrees earned. Students may restrict the release of any item of information considered directory information by completing and submitting the Directory Information Restrictions form available in the Office of the Registrar (or online at: http://www.rushu.rush.edu/registrar/forms.html) by Friday of the first week of classes in each quarter. Please note that your decision to restrict directory information will apply to all requests for directory information from within and outside the University community, including prospective employers. This restriction will remain in effect until you inform the Office of the Registrar in writing to remove the restrictions you have invoked. Additional information can be found in the Rush University Catalog, or by contacting the Office of the Registrar (600 South Paulina, Suite 440, Chicago, Illinois 60612) at (312) 942-5681 or through e-mail at registrars_office.rushu@rush.edu. The Office of the Registrar's web site is located at: www.rushu.rush.edu/registrar.