Skip to Content

Policies - 3.0 - 3.3

3.0 Educational Rights and Privacy

Purpose
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of a student's education records. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student, or former student, who has reached the age of 18 or is attending any school beyond the high school level. Students and former students to whom the rights have transferred are called eligible students.

Policy Statement
Parents or eligible students of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's Programs in the School of Health Professions have the right to inspect and review all of the student's education records maintained by the school. The School of Health Professions is not required to provide copies of materials in education records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to inspect the records.

The parents and eligible students of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's Programs in the School of Health Professions have the right to request that the school correct records believed to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing established by the Dean of the School of Health Professions. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record commenting on the contested information in the record.

Written permission from the parent or eligible student must be obtained before releasing any information from a student's record. However, the law allows The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions to disclose records, without consent, to the following parties:

  • School employees who have a need to know
  • Other schools to which a student is transferring
  • Certain government officials in order to carry out lawful functions
  • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student
  • Organizations conducting certain studies for the school
  • Accrediting organizations
  • Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas
  • Persons who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
  • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions discloses, without consent, "directory" type information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, parents and eligible students will be informed in writing about directory information and will be allowed 30 days to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Programs in the School of Health Professions will notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is published in the Health Professions Student Catalog.

3.1 Records

Purpose
The purpose of the policy on records is to establish guidelines related to a student's disciplinary record.

Policy Statement
Please see the Records section of the Conduct and Discipline policy, which is published in the Health Professions Student Catalog.

Reference: Board of Regents, University of Texas System, Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter VI, Section #3.8; Texas Education Code, Section 51.936

3.2 Name and Address Change

Purpose
Identify the policies related to official records, change of personal information and summons to administrative offices.

Policy Statement
The Personal Record Information and Summons and Official Communications policies are published in the Health Professions Student Catalog.

3.3 Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act

Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to inform the students of information collected by the School of Health Professions and shared with other state/national organizations. This policy also address how students will be informed regarding crimes committed on campus or within the Texas Medical Center.

Policy Statement
The Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act policy is published in the Health Professions Student Catalog. A related policy, Student Right to be Informed about Information Collected, is also published there.


© 2009 The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center