Family Education Rights and Privacy Act

Maharishi International University adheres to a policy of compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (“the Act”). The policy gives students 18 years of age and older:

1. the right to have access to his or her education records,
2. the right to consent in writing to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education record, except under certain permitted situation, and
3. the right to seek to have the records amended.

In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, directory information (see below) can be released to persons outside the University.

Directory information

• Name
• Address
• Date of birth
• Telephone
• E-mail address
• Degrees and awards received
• Dates of attendance
• Major field of study

Directory information may be released to appear in public documents and may otherwise be disclosed without student consent unless a written request from the student not to release this information is filed in the Office of the University Registrar by the end of the first week of classes each term.

Right of access

Each student has a right of access to his or her education records, except financial records of the student’s parents and confidential letters of recommendation received prior to January 1, 1975. However, a student may waive these rights of access in three areas:

• Admissions to any educational institution
• Job placement
• Receipt of honors and awards

The University will not require waivers as a condition for admission or receipt of financial aid or any service or benefit normally provided to students. If the student chooses to waive his or her right of access, he or she will be notified, upon request, of the names of all persons making confidential recommendations. Recommendations will be used only for the purpose for which they were specifically intended. A waiver may be revoked in writing at any time, and the revocation will apply to all subsequent recommendations.

Types and locations of education records

1. Academic: Registrar’s Office, Dreier Building
2. Disciplinary: Department of Student Life, Dreier Building
3. Financial: Financial Aid Office, Dreier Building
4. Admission: Office of Admissions (For a limited time, records are transferred to the Registrar’s Office upon enrollment.), Dreier Building

Accessing records

Requests for access to the records to be inspected should be made in writing, specifying the records requested, to the Office of the Registrar. The University will comply with a request within 45 days. Arrangements will be made for the student to read his or her records in the presence of a staff member.

As outlined by the Act, students may not inspect and review the following: financial information submitted by their parents; confidential letters and recommendations associated with admissions, employment or job placement, honors to which they have waived their rights of inspection and review; or education records containing information about more than one student (the institution will permit access only to that part of the record which pertains to the inquiring student).

Additionally, the following are not considered education records and therefore are not subject to the Act: records of instructional, administrative, and educational personnel which are in the sole possession of the maker and are not accessible or revealed to any individual except a temporary substitute; records maintained by a law enforcement unit created and maintained for the purpose of law enforcement; student health records; employment records.

Requests to amend records / appeals

Any student who believes that information contained in his or her education record is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of his or her privacy or other rights may request that the University official responsible for maintaining the record amend it. The official will decide whether to amend the education record of the student in accordance with the request within a reasonable period of time after receipt of the request. If the decision of the University official is to refuse to amend the education record of the student in accordance with the request, the student will be informed of the refusal and of his or her right to a hearing.

The student’s request for a formal hearing must be made in writing to the appropriate department head who, within a reasonable period of time after receiving the request, will inform the student of the date, place and time of the hearing. Students may present evidence relevant to the issues raised and may be assisted or represented at the hearing by a person of their choice. The hearing officer who will adjudicate such challenges will be designated by the department head, and will be someone having no direct interest in the outcome.

The decision from the hearing will be final. The education records will be corrected or amended, if necessary, in accordance with the decision of the hearing officer. If the decision of the hearing officer is that the information is not inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student, and the student disagrees with this decision, the student shall have the right to place in the education records a statement of reasonable length relating to the specific part of the student’s education records which was challenged at the hearing setting forth any reasons for disagreeing with the decision of the University. The statement will be placed in the education records, maintained as a part of the student’s records, and released whenever the records in question are disclosed.

Release of educational records

No personally identifiable information from the education records of a student will be disclosed to any third party by any official or employee of the University without the written consent of the student (exceptions noted below). The written consent must be signed and dated by the student and must include a specification of the records to be disclosed, the purpose or purposes of the disclosure and the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made. When a disclosure is made pursuant to such written consent, the University will, upon request, provide a copy to the student of the record which is disclosed.

Exception to consent requirement

A student’s education record will not be made public without the student’s prior written consent except in the following cases:

• Other school officials, with a legitimate educational interest. School officials include our University’s professors; instructors; registrar; registrar’s staff; admissions officers; academic advisors; president; trustee; attorney; counselor, accountant; human resources professional; information systems specialist; and support or clerical personnel. Legitimate educational interest can be narrowly defined as necessary for the performance of official duties.
• Officials of other educational institutions in which the student seeks or intends to enroll;
• Authorized representatives of (I) the Comptroller General of the United States, (II) the Secretary, or (III) State educational authorities;
• In connection with a student’s application for, or receipt of, financial aid;
• State and local officials or authorities to whom such information is specifically allowed to be reported or disclosed pursuant to State statute;
• Organizations conducting studies to develop predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction;
• Accrediting organizations in order to carry out their accrediting functions;
• In connection with an emergency, to appropriate persons if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons;
• To persons designated in a Federal grand jury subpoena.

Disclosure: disciplinary violations

An institution may INCLUDE in the education records of a student information concerning disciplinary action taken against such student for conduct that posed a significant risk to the safety or well-being of that student, other students, or other members of the school community. Such information may be disclosed to teachers and school officials, including teachers and school officials in other schools, who have legitimate educational interests in the behavior of the student.

Additionally, an institution may disclose to an alleged victim of any crime of violence, or a nonforcible sex offense, the final results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by such institution against the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense.

The institution may publicly disclose these results if it determines that the student committed a violation of the institution’s rules or policies with respect to such crime or offense.

Final results of any disciplinary proceeding:

• shall include only the name of the student, the violation committed, and any sanction imposed by the institution on that student; and
• may include the name of any other student, such as a victim or witness, only with the written consent of that other student.

Record of disclosures

The University will maintain a record within each student’s education file which will document each request for and each disclosure of personally identifiable information from the student’s education file, with the exception of the following:

1. Disclosures to the student from his or her own file;
2. Disclosures pursuant to the written consent of the student when the consent is specific with respect to the party or parties to whom the disclosure is to be made;
3. Disclosures to other University officials under the exception noted earlier in this Policy; and
4. Disclosures of directory information.

This policy is adopted in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232g and its implementing regulation at 34 CFR Part 99.

Additional notices

In addition to the above notice, students enrolled at Maharishi International University, and prospective students, have the right to disclosure of the following information:

1. Obtainable at the Financial Aid Office (472-1156)

   A paper copy of these reports will be mailed upon request to enrolled or prospective students or the parent of a prospective student.

   1. Available Financial Assistance

      Including a description of all available federal, state. local, private, and institutional financial need-based and non-need-based assistance programs:

      • Application form and procedures
      • Student eligibility requirements, selection criteria
      • Criteria for determining the amount of a student’s award
      • Rights and Responsibilities of Students receiving Title IV, and other Financial Aid awards, including: criteria for eligibility, satisfactory academic progress standards methods and frequency of disbursements, term of loans received, general conditions regarding employment offered as part of financial aid package
      • Exit counseling information.
   2. FFEL/Direct Loan Deferments for Peace Corps or Volunteer Service

      Including information on deferment for:

      • Service in the Peace Corps
      • Service under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 Comparable volunteer service for tax exempt organization of demonstrated effectiveness in the field of community service.
2. Obtainable at the Registrar’s Office (registrar@miu.edu)
   A paper copy of these reports will be mailed upon request to enrolled or prospective students or the parent of a prospective student.
   1. Institutional Information

      Includes information on: cost of attendance, applicable refund policy, official withdrawal requirement, summary of requirements for the return of Title IV funds by students who withdraw, information regarding the school’s academic programs, accreditation agencies, descriptions of special services and facilities for disabled students, information regarding study-abroad programs.

   2. Graduation / Completion Rates
3. Other Information
   1. Annual Security and Fire Report

      Distributed annually to enrolled students, staff and faculty. Available upon request to prospective students, their parents, and prospective employees (please contact the Admissions Office at (641) 472-1110 or the Human resource Office at (641) 472-1194). Or view online.

      Includes information for the three most recent calendar years about the occurrence on campus or in on-campus buildings or property, and public property, of the following offenses reported to the campus security authority or the local police:

      • Murder and non-negligent manslaughter
      • Negligent manslaughter
      • Sex offenses (forcible and nonforcible)
      • Robbery
      • Aggravated assault
      • Burglary
      • Motor vehicle theft
      • Arson