The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, is a federal law enacted to establish procedures for disclosing information contained in student records and to protect the privacy of these records. The Act applies to currently enrolled students beginning at the point of deposit and former students, but does not apply to individuals who have applied for admission, but never attended Bethel University. Applicants for admission who are denied enrollment or who are accepted but do not submit a deposit do not have a right to review their records. Information obtained on a former student subsequent to graduation or termination of enrollment is not covered under the Act (e.g. data accumulated on alumni). All rights under the Act cease when a person dies—the university will decide on an individual basis what records of deceased students can be released and to whom they will be released.
Bethel University will notify students annually of their rights under the Act by publishing such information in the Bethel E-Announcements.
A full description of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) policy can be found at bethel.edu/registrar/ferpa.