Student Disclosures

Why am I getting this message?

Students have certain rights over their education records; this message is to inform you of those rights and let you know when the University may disclose your information.

What do I need to do?

• Review this notice to learn what information the University may disclose about you.
• Log into student.msu.edu and update whether the institution may disclose directory information about you. (If you restrict directory information, you may not appear on Dean’s List or Commencement programs).
• Set up Guest Access for yourself and anyone else you would like to have access to your records via student.msu.edu

Who can I contact for additional information?

Visit the FERPA Compliance Website or contact the FERPA Compliance Office at FERPA@msu.edu 

Full Notice/Disclosure:

• Notification of Student Rights and Notice of Directory Information
• Access to Student Information Policy

NOTIFICATION OF STUDENT RIGHTS UNDER FERPA

It is the policy of Michigan State University to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g (“FERPA”). FERPA affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day that Michigan State University (“the University”) receives a request for access.

   A student should submit to the FERPA Compliance Office a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The FERPA Compliance Office will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. 

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

   A student who wishes to ask the University to amend a record should write to the University 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 University decides not to amend the record as requested, the University 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 University discloses personally identifiable information (“PII”) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

   The University may disclose education records without a student’s prior written consent under certain FERPA exceptions. One such exception to the consent rule is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University 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; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official  may also include contractors, consultants, volunteers   and other non- employees who perform an institutional service of function for which  the  University would  otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent 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 the University.

   Upon request, the University also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.

   The University may also disclose PII from education records without consent to authorized representatives of the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as a State postsecondary authority that is responsible for supervising the university’s State- supported education programs. Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of §99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State- supported education programs, or from the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

   U.S. Department of Education 
   Student Privacy Policy Office 
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW 
   Washington, DC 20202-8520

NOTICE OF DIRECTORY INFORMATION

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act requires that the University, with certain exceptions, obtain the student’s written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education records. However, the University may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless the student has advised the University to the contrary in accordance with University procedures. The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the University to include this type of information from the student’s education records in certain school publications. Examples include:

• MSU People Search (on-line directory);
• The Red Cedar Log (annual yearbook);
• Dean’s list or other recognition lists;
• Commencement programs; and
• Sports activity sheets, such as for basketball, showing height and weight of team members.

Directory information is information in a student’s education record that may be disclosed to outside organizations without a student’s prior written consent. While disclosure of directory information about a student is not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy under FERPA, the University is not required to disclose directory information to outside parties, including in response to requests made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. The University has designated the following information as directory information:

• Student’s name;
• Student’s local address (if listed);
• Student’s local phone number (if listed);
• MSU NetID e-mail address (if listed);
• Student’s permanent address (if listed);
• Student’s permanent telephone number (if listed);
• Current enrollment status or dates of attendance;
• Program level (undergraduate, graduate, professional);
• Class (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, etc.);
• Major field of study;
• Current term candidacy for degree and/or teacher certification;
• Employment status as a graduate teaching or research assistant, office address and office phone number;
• Information pertaining to awards and honors achievements;
• Degree(s) earned from Michigan State University and effective date(s);
• Participation in officially recognized University activities and sports, including weight and height of athletic team members;
• The most recent educational agency or institution attended;
• The registration documents of student organizations, which contain the contact information of the officers and the statement of purpose of the organization, can be obtained by contacting the Office of Spartan Experiences, located in the Student Services Building, Room 101, East Lansing, Michigan.

If the student does not want the University to disclose directory information from the student's education records without prior written consent, the student must notify the Office of the Registrar in writing. The student can also restrict their information by visiting the My Profile tile on their student homepage at student.msu.edu and selecting "FERPA RESTRICTIONS" and reviewing their FERPA Activities. The student's request to opt-out of disclosure of directory information becomes a permanent part of the student's education record and continues after the student is no longer in attendance unless the student instructs the University in writing to remove the request. 

Questions about the release or disclosure of a student's education records under FERPA should be directed to the FERPA Compliance Office at FERPA@msu.edu. A comprehensive summary of the University's procedures on maintenance and access to student education records in compliance with FERPA is more fully outlined in the Michigan State University Access to Student Information guidelines.

Why am I getting this message?

In accordance with federal regulations, Michigan State University is required to provide enrolled and prospective students with the following information.

What do I need to do?

Review the information to learn more about the following topics:

Educational Requirements for Professional Licensure and Certification

This information is being provided to better inform current and prospective students whether completion of Michigan State University programs designed to lead to professional licensure or certification meet state educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation, and to comply with federal disclosure requirements. This disclosure applies to on-campus, online, and hybrid programs.

• MSU disclosures that require information related to educational requirements for professional licensure and certification can be found on the Office of Accreditation, Assessment, Curriculum, and Compliance webpage at: aacc.msu.edu/compliance/state-authorization. The table provided contains current contact information for the applicable licensure/certification board in each state where the University was unable to determine whether completion of an on-ground, online or hybrid program would meet the educational requirements for professional licensure/certification. In such cases, current and prospective students are advised to determine whether the program meets the requirements in the states where they are located.
• Current and prospective students who are enrolled or may enroll in a program designed to lead to professional licensure or certification are encouraged to contact the applicable professional licensure/certification boards in their respective states for additional information regarding professional licensure/certification requirements, including, without limitation, information regarding any non-educational requirements (such as work experience, background clearance, or examination by outside entities, such as bar examinations).
• The information contained in the table referenced above should not be construed as guaranteeing that any particular professional licensure/certification authority will approve a student’s application; nor should the information in the table be read to imply that other requirements for professional licensure/certification do not exist or that other requirements for professional licensure/certification have been determined to have been met by a University program/course, or that any necessary approvals for clinical or other experiential learning placements are secured by virtue of a student’s enrollment at the University.
• State professional licensure/certification requirements are subject to change at any time.

Who can I contact for additional information?

If you are enrolled or may enroll in a program designed to lead to professional licensure or certification and have questions regarding an MSU educational program, please contact your academic advisor, your college, or department of interest.

Consumer Protection

The Consumer Protection information outlined below is provided and available for your review at aacc.msu.edu/compliance/consumer-protection.

• Academic & Instructional Facilities
• Academic Program Improvement - UCC
• Academic Programs & Accreditations
• Accreditation – Institutional
• Alcohol & Other Drug Policy
• Consortium & Articulation Agreements
• Copyright Infringement & Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Policies & Sanctions
• Cost of Attendance
• Faculty Roster
• Financial Aid
• Governing Board
• Graduation & Retention Rates
• Intercollegiate Athletic Program Participation Rates & Financial Support Data
• Missing Student Notification Procedures
• Office of Institutional Equity PELL Grant Recipients (NCES)
• Placement of Graduates
• Privacy of Student Records (FERPA)
• Professional Licensure & Certification
• Refund Policy
• Security, Fire Safety & Campus Crime Statistics Annual Report
• Service for Students with Disabilities
• Spartan Life
• Student Body Diversity
• Student Complaint Information
• Transfer Credits
• Transportation
• Vaccination Policies
• Voter Registration
• Withdrawal from the University

MSU will provide a paper copy of the information contained on the Consumer Protection webpage upon request. To obtain a paper copy regarding a particular topic, please email your request to es.aacc@msu.edu.

Why am I getting this message? 

All MSU students receive this notice each fall per the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. 

What do I need to do? 

Review pages 33-41 of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. 

Who can I contact for additional information? 

If you have questions, please contact UHW@msu.edu.  

Full Notice/Disclosure: 

Pursuant to the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, MSU provides the following information about alcohol and other drugs policies and resources here at MSU. 

Substance use and misuse are major issues that can result in health and legal problems. MSU’s Alcohol and Other Drugs program offers prevention programming to challenge prevailing myths about substance use and works to support students in making well-informed decisions about alcohol and drugs. The Collegiate Recovery Community offers support services to students who are in or seeking recovery from substance use disorder.  

To keep our campus safe and healthy, MSU also enforces laws and policies to prevent the illegal use of alcohol and drugs. Pages 33-41 of the university's current Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, inform you of our policies, the legal and student conduct-related consequences of illegal substance use, the health effects of such use, and the support services available to you.   

The MSU Medical Amnesty Policy provides exemption from discipline for violations of university drug- or alcohol-use/possession policies for MSU students under certain circumstances. Learn more about the Medical Amnesty Policy on the Office of Student Support and Accountability website.