FERPA
Student Records Policy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, better known as the Buckley Amendment or FERPA, generally provides that: students shall have the right of access to their educational records, and educational institutions shall not release educational records to nonschool employees without consent of the student. Except in certain narrowly-defined circumstance, "students" as used in this notice includes former students.
Release of Transcripts
Transcripts of Azusa Pacific University course work are available approximately six weeks after the completion of courses. Requests must be made in writing and should include the following information: student’s name, location of classes taken, the last semester attended, where the transcript is to be sent, number of copies required, date of graduation (if applicable), Social Security number, Student I.D., and signature. An Azusa Pacific University Transcript Request Form (PDF) is available for the students’ convenience.* A $5-per-copy fee applies. Requests take approximately 7-10 working days to process. Rush transcripts are available (within two working days) for an additional $20 charge. Contact the Graduate Center at (626) 815-4570 for specific information. Transcripts, diplomas, and/or verifications of degrees will not be released until all the student’s financial obligations to the university are met.
Right of Access
With a few exceptions provided by law, students at Azusa Pacific University may see any of their educational records upon request. Access will generally be granted to the record custodian, but if a delay is necessary, access must be granted no later than 45 days after the request. With some limited exceptions, students are also entitled to copies (at the student’s expense) of all records to which they have access. Students further have the right, under established procedures, to challenge the factual accuracy of the records and enter their viewpoints in the records. Students may waive their right of access to recommendations and evaluations in the cases of admissions, application for employment, and nomination for awards. Azusa Pacific University may not require students to sign a waiver of their right of access to their records, but students should be aware that recommendations and evaluations may not be helpful or candid without a signed waiver.
Disclosure of Student Records
With certain exceptions provided by law, Azusa Pacific University cannot release information concerning students to prospective employers, government agencies, credit bureaus, etc., without the student’s written consent. Students and alumni applying for jobs, credit, graduate school, etc., can expedite their applications by providing the university with written permission to release specific records and addresses. The student’s written consent is not required for the disclosure of grades, disciplinary action, or other information to parents of students who are dependents for federal income tax purposes.
The university has designated the following as directory information, which may, at the university’s discretion, be released to the public without the student’s consent: student’s name and maiden name, address, email address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study and courses taken, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height (members of athletic teams), dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, all previous educational agencies or institutions attended, current class schedule, employer, church membership, photographs, and parents’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
APU has the right to disclose any information from the education records of a dependent student to his or her parents. A dependent student is one designated as such on the most recent income tax return filed by the student’s parents. In addition, APU may disclose to the parents of a student the student’s violation of any federal, state, or local law or any rule adopted by APU governing the possession or use of alcohol or a controlled substance if the student is under age 21. Finally, the university may disclose information from the education records of a student to his or her parents in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.
It is the general policy of the university not to release directory information regarding its students unless, in the judgment of the appropriate record custodian or another official with record access, such release either serves a legitimate educational purpose or is not adverse to the interests and privacy of the student. However, the student may request that certain categories of directory information not be released to the public without his or her written consent. Such requests shall be submitted in accordance with the student records policy of the university.
This notice is not intended to be fully explanatory of students’ rights under FERPA. The registrar maintains copies of the official Azusa Pacific University Student Records Policy, which contains detailed information and procedures with regard to these rights. Students may obtain a copy of that written policy upon request to the Graduate Center: Registrar, Azusa Pacific University, PO Box 7000, Azusa, CA 91702-7000. Any student alleging failure of the university to comply with FERPA may file a complaint with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA), United States Department of Education, 4511 Switzer Building, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201.
*The downloadable version of this document is provided in a Portable Document Format (PDF). To learn more about PDFs or to install Adobe Acrobat Reader, follow this link.
