Student Rights, Responsibilities & Conduct

Academic Catalog

All enrolled or prospective students receive and read the Academic Catalog prior to enrollment at John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences.  The Academic Catalog is available on the University website homepage at www.jpu.edu.  The Academic Catalog can also be requested via email to info@jpu.edu. 

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act

The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act was signed into law in 1996 and provides guidelines for protecting the confidentiality and security of medical information.  Click HERE for more information.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Annual Notification of Student Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution at any age.) These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences (JPU) receives a request for access. A student should submit to the Director of Administrative Services 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 JPU to amend a record should write the Director of Administrative Services, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
   If JPU decides not to amend the record as requested, JPU 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 JPU discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   
   JPU 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 typically includes a person employed by the JPU 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 Directors or Program Advisory Boards; 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 JPU 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 typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educa­tion record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for JPU.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by JPU 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

JPU provides its directory information public notice annually along with its annual notification of rights under FERPA as required by § 99.37 of the regulations.

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 postsecondary institution may disclose PII from the education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student —

• To other school officials, including teachers, within JPU 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)(3) 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 JPU’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)) 
• To parents of a student regarding the student’s violation of any Federal, State, or local law, or of any rule or policy of the school, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the school determines the student committed a disciplinary violation and the student is under the age of 21. (§99.31(a)(15)) 

Directory Information Notice
FERPA leaves partially to our discretion the designation of records as directory information. Directory information is information that we may disclose for any reason without your explicit consent. The records that we normally designate as directory information are as follows:

1. Name
2. Address
3. Contact information, to include phone number and electronic mail address
4. Date of birth
5. Gender
6. Enrollment status
7. Undergraduate focus or major

You, as an eligible student, have the right to refuse to let the University designate records as directory information*. You have 45 days from the date of this notice to notify us in writing that you do not want part or all of the information listed above to be considered directory information. Written notice should be submitted using the attached form “Opt out of Designation of Records as Directory Information.” After this 45-day period, we will consider this information as directory information and respond to requests for it as if it is directory information. You may still, after the end of the 45-day period, ask in writing (as outlined above) for this information to cease being considered directory information. We will honor your request within a reasonable time frame after our receipt of your written request. 
*According to section 99.37(c), your written request to refuse classification of information as directory information does not include the right to remain anonymous in classes in which you are registered.  This provision is meant to preserve routine classroom communication and interaction either in a standard classroom setting or on-line via electronic communication.

Authorization to Disclose Education Records

Directory Information Opt-Out Form