Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (Section 513 P.L. 93-380, Education Amendments of 1974, which amends the General Education Provisions Act, Sec. 438), the students of the Seminary are hereby informed of their right of access to their official records, as described in the Act.

These rights include;

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the Seminary receives a request for access. A student should submit to the Registrar, Dean, Convener of the Curriculum Area, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The Seminary official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the Seminary official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
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 Seminary to amend a record should write the Seminary official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
   If the Seminary decides not to amend the record as requested, the Seminary will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student's right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to provide written consent before the Seminary discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   The Seminary 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 is a person employed by the Seminary in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the Seminary has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using Seminary employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the Seminary.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the Seminary 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
   The website http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html provides additional information regarding FERPA.

Notification of Disclosure of Directory Information
At its discretion, Hood Theological Seminary may provide "directory information" in accordance with the provisions of FERPA. Directory information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Designated directory information at Hood Theological Seminary includes the following: student's name, local address and permanent home address, email address, photograph, telephone, date and place of birth, degree program and enrollment status (part-time, full-time, dates of attendance), cross-listed class rosters, institutions of higher education previously attended including dates attended and degrees awarded; and prizes, honors, special recognitions and degree(s) awarded by the Seminary.

Students may block the public disclosure of "directory information" (all or in part) by completing a FERPA block form, available from the Registrar. Although the initial request may be filed at any time, requests for FERPA blocks for the academic year must be received no later than September 20. Requests will be honored by the Seminary until revoked, in writing, by the student.

Please consider very carefully the consequences of a decision to block the disclosure of directory information. Placing a block on disclosure of all or part of the directory information will prohibit the Seminary from releasing the blocked directory information; and thus any future requests for such information from non-institutional persons or organizations will be refused. Hood Seminary will honor student requests to block disclosure of student directory information but cannot assume responsibility for contacting students for subsequent permission to release directory information. Regardless of the effect upon the student, Hood Seminary assumes no liability as a result of honoring student instructions to block disclosure of directory information.

Institutional Grievance Policy
The Institutional Grievance Policy is outlined in the Student Handbook and found on the Forms/Policy Tab of myHood.

Statement of Education Effectiveness