Privacy of Student Records

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Notification to Students

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, requires establishment and publication of a written institutional policy covering student privacy rights. The law provides that the institution will maintain the confidentiality of all education records for its students. At APUS, an applicant is considered a student as soon as orientation is completed.

APUS student rights under FERPA 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. 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, format and place where the records may be inspected. For more information on reviewing records, go to Review of Records.

(2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to ask the University to amend a record  should submit a written request to the Registrar clearly identifying the part of the record the student wants changed, and specifying why it should be changed. For more information on reviewing records, go to Review of Records. 

(3) The right to provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without con¬sent. A student who wishes to grant access to a third party, may request it by completing the FERPA Release Student Authorization Form. Please, email recordupdates@apus.edu to request the form.

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the 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

FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests

Information contained in a student’s record that is not specifically designated “directory information” is not distributed within the University or made public, except in cases of legitimate educational interest (i.e., to “school officials” who have an educational need to know for the effective functioning of their office). The 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 has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educa¬tion record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the University.

APUS defines the following as school officials:

• Personnel within APUS.
• A person or company the University has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using University employees or officials (such as legal counsel, auditors, third-party contractors or collection agents).
• A person serving on the Board of Trustees.
• Persons or organizations providing student financial aid.
• Accrediting agencies carrying out their accreditation function.
• Persons in compliance with a judicial order.
• Persons in an emergency in order to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.
• Parents of dependent children as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (Documentation will be required as proof).
  Officials from:
  - other institutions in which the student seeks to enroll
  - organizations conducting studies for educational and governmental agencies
  - U.S. Government agencies as listed in Public Law 93-380

APUS Directory Information

Although most information contained in a student’s educational record is confidential, some of that information is not considered to be harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed and is referred to as “directory information.” FERPA prohibits Schools from releasing information other than that designated as “directory information” without the student's permission. APUS considers the following to be directory information for the purposes of FERPA and may be released without student consent:

• Name
• Major field of study
• Dates of attendance
• Level (undergraduate or graduate)
• Class standing/Classification (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior)
• Registration Status (Full-time, Part-time, or Not Currently Enrolled)
• Degrees, honors (including Dean's and President's Lists), and awards received
• City/State/Country of residence
• Photographic or videotaped image

Directory Information Block

FERPA also gives a student the right to block public display and release of directory information. Students who request for APUS to apply such block should be aware of the following:

APUS will not acknowledge the existence of any student with an active Directory Information Block.

A Directory Information Block will prevent the student from being listed as having attended APUS and it will prevent APUS from acknowledging that a student is currently enrolled at the University. The only exceptions involve the US government, US law enforcement, or APUS officials with legitimate educational interest including the need to maintain School operation.

A Directory Information Block will keep a student from being listed in any APUS University publications, including the APUS Commencement Book.

Directory Information Block and Authorized Access

Those students who request a Directory Information Block should also be aware that this request does not restrict administrative access to their information where there is a legitimate educational interest, but does restrict other sharing of this information. For example, a Directory Information Block will not keep advisors from seeing the student’s information, or prevent the student from being shown in online class tools as long as use of such tools is restricted to members of the class.

Student Responsibilities

The student is responsible for maintaining current contact information, such as email address and phone number, in the student account because the email address or phone number along with the student ID are used as primary means of identification for communication purposes.

The student is responsible for safeguarding email account login information and student ID.  APUS shall not be responsible for the misuse of password or student ID by any person.

The student is responsible for revoking the Directory Information Block. The student must email recordupdates@apus.edu to revoke the block.

How to Request a Directory Information Block

Students who do not wish to allow disclosure of directory information should email their requests to recordupdates@apus.edu. Once processed, a Directory Information Block will be placed in the account. Once set, it will remain in place until the student authorizes its removal. The email requesting to revoke the block must be received by the Office of Student Records. If a student has an active Directory Information Block at the time of graduation, it prevents the student from being listed as an alumnus/a of APUS.

 Undergraduate Catalog