Annual Notice to Students
Annual Notice to Students Regarding FERPA and
Notice Designating Directory Information
Annually, West Virginia University informs students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This Act, with which West Virginia University intends to comply fully, was designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with The Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) concerning alleged failures by West Virginia University to comply with the Act.
The West Virginia University Policy on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act explains in detail the procedures to be used for compliance with the provisions of the Act. Copies of the policy can be found at http://ferpa.wvu.edu/policy. The offices of the appropriate Deans and Directors can inform students as to the locations of all education records maintained by West Virginia University.
Questions concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the Office of the Vice President for Legal Affairs.
West Virginia University designates the following categories of student information as public or “Directory Information.” This information may be disclosed by West Virginia University for any purpose, at its discretion:
- Name of Student;
- Official Address;
- Telephone Number;
- Electronic Mail Address;
- Place of Birth;
- Age of Student;
- Names and Addresses of Parents;
- Major Field of Study;
- Class Status (i.e., freshman);
- Dates of Attendance;
- Previous Educational Institution(s) Attended;
- Degree(s) and Date(s) Conferred, including anticipated graduation dates;
- Awards;
- Honors;
- Participation in Officially Recognized Activities and Sports; and
- Weight and Height of Members of Athletic Teams.
Currently enrolled students, using the Official Form, may withhold disclosure of information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. To withhold disclosure, written notification must be received in the Office of the University Registrar at West Virginia University, PO Box 6009, Morgantown, WV 26506. Official forms requesting the withholding of Directory Information are available in the Office of the Registrar. Such requests will be processed as soon as is practicable upon receipt.
The failure on the part of any student to specifically request, on the Official Form, the withholding of Directory Information indicates individual approval for disclosure. Additionally, a request to withhold Directory Information shall have no effect on previous disclosures, if any, made by WVU before the receipt of a request to withhold Directory Information; nor will a student’s request to withhold Directory Information revoke an otherwise valid written FERPA release already on file with the University.
