OUGLAS COLLEGE LIBRARY
TO: MAD HATTER Rae Ne eee
FROM: SHEILAH THOMPSON BR IES

The following Article, reprinted from the Guidepost (APGA), January 1975 may
be of interest in terms of students' records, rights, etc..

"FORD SIGNS LIBRARY ACT WITH BUCKLEY AMENDMENT"!

Parents and Students Now Have Access To Education Records and Information

“Taking time off from the ski slopes, President Ford signed H.J. Res. 40,
authorizing a White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services.
Attached to this bill was an amendment clarifying the Family Rights and Privacy
Act of P.L. 93-380, commonly known as the Buckley Amendment.

The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) published proposed
regulations for administering this law in the Federal Register January 6th.
The regulations are open for comment until March 6th. Send comments to School
Records Task Force, Room 5660, DHEW, 330 Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
D.C. 20201. Copies of the regulations, inquiries or complaints may be sent to
this office c/o Thomas S$. McFee, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management
Planning and Technology, (202) 245-7488.

The regulations spell out how institutions must provide parents of students or
students access to official records directly related to them and an opportunity
for a hearing to challenge such records if they are inaccurate or misleading.
The regulations also describe the types of consent parents or guardians must
give before data is released and how parents and students must be notified of
these rights.

The regulations apply to all educational institutions with programs run by
the Commissioner of Education, but not to private schools whose pupils only
receive services from the Office of Education. ;
The proposed rules state what materials are not part of the official records

and not open to review. These include financial records of parents; confidential
letters and statements of recommendation placed in educational records prior to
January Ist, 1975; such letters or statements written after this date if the
student has signed a waiver of the rights of access to them; admissions to any
educational agency, or institution; employment applications; and honorary
recognition.

Applicants for admission are not entitled to see their records. However, once
they are enrolled or attending the institution any admissions file is an
education record that they could see.

A waiver of the rights of confidentiality may not be required as a condition
for admission, receipt of financial aid, or any other services or benefits.

Students rights are not abridged by the proposed regulations. These proposed
rules avoid some problems: students not having access to their own records,
especially where they may be in an adversary relationship to their parents;

/D eee (cont'd)

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