Oregon Institute of Technology is committed to the privacy and security of our students. The Oregon Tech Records Policy complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) -- which establishes students’ rights and institutions’ responsibilities regarding the privacy of education records. It provides guidelines for maintaining the confidentiality of education records and monitoring the release of information from those records.
Your Rights Under FERPA
As a current or former Oregon Tech student, FERPA affords you certain rights regarding your education records: The right to inspect and review your records through the University Registrar's Office and the right to seek amendment of your records which you believe are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of your privacy rights; The right to restrict the disclosure of Directory Information; and The right to file a complaint with the Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
Release of Education Records
Except as provided in FERPA or other applicable law, the university will not disclose personally identifiable information from your education records unless you submit a completed File Authorization Form to the Registrar’s Office. Faculty and staff are responsible for protecting the identity of students and keeping student grades confidential. Grades or evaluations linked to personal identifiers (names, Oregon Tech ID numbers, or social security numbers) may not be publicly disclosed. Grades or evaluations may be posted only by using the last 4 of the student ID number or other randomized number/code. Some records created and maintained by the university, although not covered by FERPA, may be subject to other federal and state laws or regulations regarding disclosure. The most common exceptions to disclosure restrictions are disclosures to university faculty or staff – “School Officials” – with a legitimate educational interest, or disclosure of personally identifiable information designated as Direction Information.
Definition of Educational Records
Education records are those records directly related to a student maintained by the university or by a party acting for the university.
Definition of School Official
A school official is a person employed by Oregon Tech in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (Including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; a person or entity with whom Oregon Tech has contracted who performs an institutional service or function for which Oregon Tech would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of Oregon Tech with respect to the use and maintenance of personally-identifying-information from education records (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent; the Oregon Institute of Technology Foundation; and the Oregon Institute of Technology Alumni Association); or a student volunteering to assist 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 Oregon Tech.
Directory Information
- your full name
- current address and telephone number
- hometown
- dates of attendance by term
- degree program/major field of study
- date of graduation
- most recent/previous school attended
- participation in official activities/sports
- age, height, and weight of athletic team members
Below is a quick reference of frequently requested data, and whether it is or is not Oregon Tech Directory Information.
| Directory Information? | Yes | No |
| Student’s full name | X | |
| Oregon Tech ID number | X | |
| Date of Birth | X | |
| Current mailing address and telephone number | X | |
| E-mail address | X | |
| Parent names and/or addresses | X | |
| Hometown | X | |
| Dates of attendance by term | X | |
| Degree program/major field of study | X | |
| GPA or grades | X | |
| Date of graduation | X | |
| Current term credits or class schedule (CRNs, meeting times, locations) | X | |
| Full-time, half-time or less than half-time enrollment status | X | |
| Information on academic standing (probation, disqualification, etc.) or whether a student is eligible to return to school | X | |
| Whether student has applied for graduation | X | |
| Most recent/previous school attended | X | |
| Participation in official activities/sports | X | |
| Age, height, and weight of athletic team members | X | |
| Accounts receivable balance | X | |
| Financial records of parents | X | |
| Student employment records | X | |
| Copies of transcripts from other schools or colleges | X | |
| Psychiatric or psychological records | X |
Confidential Student
You may choose to restrict your Directory Information by telling the university to code you as a “confidential” student. When a student becomes “confidential”, the fact that you are currently a student, or have ever been enrolled at Oregon Institute of Technology, will not be released.
Once a student becomes “confidential”, in order to conduct any business with the university, you will need to go in person to the office involved, or via mail or fax, provide a written request for release of information. No information will be provided via telephone. No information will be provided to anyone – parents, relatives, friends, other students, or prospective employers – who may wish to contact you or verify your student status at the university, without a written release from you containing the elements listed above.
Restricted Directory Information is made available only where an emergency is involved, at the direction of a court order, or to Oregon Tech staff and faculty with a legitimate educational need to know.
Duration of Confidentiality
The duration of confidentiality is permanent until you request, in writing, that it be removed. The restriction of directory information will remain in place even after you have stopped attending or have graduated.
Requesting Letters of Reference or Recommendation from Faculty or Staff
Students who request letters of reference or recommendation from Oregon Tech faculty or staff members need to do so in writing. Such letters or statements are most effective if they contain specific information about your academic or work performance; this type of information is considered “non-directory” information and cannot be released without the signed written consent of the student, according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
- What information is to be released (be as specific as possible)
- To whom the information is to be released (name, address)
- The purpose of the release of information
- Your signature and date
Oregon Tech ID Number
The Oregon Tech ID number is a nine-digit number randomly generated and assigned at the time of first admission. Your Oregon Tech ID number will be imprinted on your student ID card when it is issued by the Information Desk. Replacements are $10. In the past, Oregon Tech used Social Security numbers for ID numbers. This is no longer the case. For this reason, former students who contact the university will be asked verifying information before the release of their Oregon Tech student ID number.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
FERPA was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1974 and has since had many amendments. Responsibility for oversight of FERPA compliance rests with the Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office.