FERPA and Student Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law which provides privacy of student education records.

Reference: Minneapolis College Student Records Policy

Under FERPA, certain information is considered public and is called directory information (although Minneapolis College does not actually publish a student directory). Directory information may be disclosed to a third party upon request:

• Student name
• Dates of attendance
• General enrollment status only (full time, half time, or less than half time)
• Graduation or certification
• Field of study (major)

Would you like to...

Request that Minneapolis College not release your directory information outside of the College without your written request?

• Complete a Request to Withhold Directory Information Form

Request copies of all documents in my student file?

• Contact the Student Services Center.

If you allow a third party to have access to your private student data, please understand the following:

Your consent expires after one year. You can renew your consent by:

• Completing a new Authorization for the Release of Information eForm online
• Alternate format: Authorization for the Release of Information form (PDF)
  ^ This PDF form must be printed and signed before submitting. See form for instructions.

Paper forms are also available at the Student Services Center (T.2100)
 

Entire Student Body

Requests for directory information of the entire student body will be evaluated and then an estimated cost will be provided.

The student directory information that may be released without a student’s signed consent to release information form is listed above (Directory information).

U.S. Military

Under the Solomon Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (1996), Minneapolis College must provide access to the following information on students to the United States Military:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone listing
• Date and place of birth
• Level of education
• Academic major
• The educational institution in which the student was most recently enrolled

How to Submit a Request

Requests for student body directory information or requests from military for directory information should be directed to records.office@minneapolis.edu. 

Minneapolis College may ask students to provide information that includes private information under state and federal law for admissions, financial aid, disciplinary investigations, academic status or for other College information gathering.

Students are not legally required to provide the information Minneapolis College is requesting and may refuse to provide some or all of the information requested. However, Minneapolis College may not be able to complete some transactions on students’ behalf if sufficient information is not provided.

With some exceptions, unless a student consents to further release of private information, access to this information will be limited to appropriate College officials.

However, federal and state law does authorize release of private information without a student’s consent to:

• Other school officials, including Minneapolis College faculty, who have legitimate educational interest in the information
• Other schools in which the student is enrolled or seeks or intends to enroll
• The federal Comptroller General or other federal, state or local education officials for purposes of program compliance, audit or evaluation
• As appropriate in connection with the student’s application for or receipt of financial aid
• The juvenile justice system, if the student is a juvenile and the information is necessary, prior to adjudication, to determine the juvenile justice system’s ability to serve the student
• An alleged victim of sexual assault, if a student is the alleged perpetrator of the assault and the release is of the result of a disciplinary proceeding against the student related to the alleged crime
• Student’s parents, if the student’s parents claim the student as a dependent student for tax purposes (Minneapolis College has elected not to participate in this practice)
• A court, grand jury, or state or federal agency, if the information is sought with a subpoena
• An institution engaged in research for an educational institution or agency related to testing, student aid, or improved instruction
• An accrediting organization in connection with its accrediting functions
• Appropriate persons in connection with an emergency, if necessary to protect the student’s health or safety or the health or safety of others
• If required by a court order or permitted by other state or federal law.