Institute for the Psychological Sciences

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) the Institute is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to any student who has a disability. Any student who has a documented disability may seek access to necessary accommodations by contacting the Office of Enrollment Services.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords post secondary 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 Institute for the Psychological Sciences receives a request for access.  A student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect.  The school official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.  If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
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 Institute for the Psychological Sciences to amend a record, should write the school 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 Institute for the Psychological Sciences decides not to amend the record as requested, the Institute 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 Institute discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without con­sent.  The Institute for the Psychological Sciences discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is a person employed by the Institute 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 also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the Institute for the Psychological Sciences who performs an institutional service of function for which the school 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 Institute for the Psychological Sciences.

1. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the Institute for the Psychological Sciences to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC  20202

Student Directory Notification

The Institute for the Psychological Sciences will disseminate student information in accordance with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), applicable State and Federal laws, and the Institute’s established procedures (Policy 2040, Adopted by the Board of Directors August 1, 2002).

The Institute produces a Student Directory each academic year for use by faculty, staff and students.  Student information used in the Institute for the Psychological Science’s Student Directory includes: Name, Local Address, Local Telephone Number, Work Telephone Number, Cellular Telephone Number

The Institute will not release this information to a third party without written consent of the student (except as required by FERPA, State, and Federal laws).

If the student does not authorize the release of the directory information to appear in the Institute’s Student Directory, the student should submit a written request to the Office of Student Life Services.

Disclosures that post secondary institutions may make without consent

FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in §99.31 of the FERPA regulations.  Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, §99.32 of FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure.  Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures.  A post secondary institution may disclose PII from the education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student –

• To other school officials, including faculty, within the Institute for the Psychological Sciences whom the school has determined to have legitimate educational interests.  This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that the conditions listed in §99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(1) – (a)(1)(i)(B)(2) are met. (§99.31(a)(1)

• To officials of another school where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of §99.34.  (§99.31(a)(2))

• 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 Institute’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 for 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.  (§§99.31(a)(3) and 99.35)

• In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.  (§99.31(a)(4))

• To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to:  (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction.  (§99.31(a)(6))

• To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.  ((§99.31(a)(7))

• To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.  (§99.31(a)(8))

• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.  (§99.31(a)(9))

• To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to §99.36.  (§99.31(a)(10))

• Information the school has designated as “directory information” under §99.37.  (§99.31(a)(11))

• To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, subject to the requirements of §99.39.  The disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding with respect to that alleged crime or offense, regardless of the finding.  (§99.31(a)(13))

• To the general public, the final results of a disciplinary proceeding, subject to the requirements of §99.39, if the school determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of the school’s rules or policies with respect to the allegation made against him or her. (§99.31(a)(14))

SBE Policy 2009-005[HSS1]  provides guidance to college students and other first time voters may have questions about how to register and where to vote in Virginia. The following information is specific to college students and explains residency requirements for voter registration and special absentee privileges for certain students. For more information, see other areas of the website addressing registration and absentee voting generally.

How do I register to vote in Virginia?

A college student registers to vote in Virginia the same as any other applicant: every prospective voter must submit a voter registration application. Remember, you must update your voter registration information whenever you change your residence.

Every voter in Virginia must submit their residential address when registering to vote. (A mailbox cannot serve as a residential address.) If you are unable to receive mail at your address, you must also submit a local mailing address. A dorm or college address can be an acceptable residential address and does not disqualify you from voting.

What is my residence?

A prospective voter must be a resident of the precinct where he seeks to register. In order to establish “residency,” a prospective voter must have a physical location where they intend to stay for an unlimited time.

The applicant must determine and declare their residence and may change their intent at any time. To assist applicants in determining their legal residence, the State Board of Elections has developed a self-guided questionnaire. The questionnaire contains questions intended to assist applicants as they determine where their legal residence is. The questionnaire is not required in order to register to vote. The applicant may wish to retain a copy of the questionnaire for their files.

How do I vote?

A college student votes in the same manner as any other registered voter: you may vote in person on election day or, if eligible, by absentee.

Students who will be absent from the locality where they are registered to vote because they attend school in another locality are eligible to vote absentee. For example, a student registered to vote in Charlottesville but attending school in Blacksburg may vote absentee in Charlottesville. However, a student registered to vote in Charlottesville and attending school in Charlottesville could not vote by absentee.

Impact on Other Areas

Legal residence for voter registration purposes may or may not be the same as legal residence for census, driver’s license, federal and state income tax, state vehicle tax, tuition, or financial aid purposes. The State Board of Elections and local election officials are not trained in these complex areas. You should consult appropriate advisors regarding these issues.