Registrar Office

• Student and Education Record definition

  MSM defines a student as an individual who is or has been in attendance at the School and for whom the School maintains education records.

  MSM considers students to be in attendance on the first day of the first term in which the student is enrolled for academic credit in one or more classes regardless of degree type or class modality.

  This definition includes:

  • early matriculants (fall semester admits attending SES)
  • former students/ alumni
  • individuals who are taking classes but have not been admitted to a degree or certificate program
  • visiting students

  This definition does not include:

  • prospective students
  • applicants who have been admitted but did not attend
  • applicants who have been denied admission
  • Students who, while attending one degree or certificate program, have applied to another degree or certificate program, are not entitled to review records of degree to which they are applying until they have been accepted to the new degree or certificate program.

  An education record is any record that is directly related to a student that is maintained by by the School or a party acting on behalf of the School. This includes information recorded in any medium such as handwriting, computer media, video or audio tape, film, microfilm and microfiche.

  The following is not considered an education record:

  • Records that are kept in the sole possession of the maker, are used only by the maker as personal memory aid, and are not accessible or revealed to any other MSM representative or integrated into student affairs, academic, or other institutional files;
  • Records of the law enforcement unit of an educational agency or institution that are maintained solely by the institution’s law enforcement unit and are not integrated into student affairs, academic, or other institutional files;
  • Records relating to an individual who is employed by an educational agency or institution;
  • Records made or maintained by a healthcare professional in the course of providing treatment;
  • Records created or received by the School after a student is no longer in attendance, even if pertaining to the student’s prior attendance

• Primary Rights of Students under FERPA

  1. The right to inspect and review their educational records:

  Students should submit to the Office of the Registrar or other appropriate School official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The School official is required to grant the request within 45 days.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 seek to amend their educational records:

  • Students who believe that their education records contain information that is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights of privacy, may ask the School to amend the record. Students should submit to the Registrar or other appropriate School official responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record they want changed and specifying why it is inaccurate or misleading.
  • If the School decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the School will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her 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 file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Manhattan School of Music 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 Ave, SW

  Washington, DC 20202-8520

• Release of Student Information

  1. Directory information
  Directory information is information FERPA permits Manhattan School of Music to release to the public without the student’s consent. Manhattan School of Music considers the following to be directory information:

  • Name (including preferred first name)
  • Addresses (including electronic mail)*
  • Telephone numbers (permanent, primary, and
    cellular)*
  • Date and place of birth
  • Major
  • Classification (junior, senior, etc.)
  • Dates of enrollment
  • Degrees and awards (including Dean’s List) received
  • Institution attended immediately prior to admission
  • Photograph

  Students who wish to restrict the release of such information are required to notify the Office of the Registrar within 10 days of the first day of the semester of enrollment.

  Manhattan School of Music uses extreme discretion in releasing any student information to an outside source. While MSM is legally entitled to release directory information, it generally does not disclose more than deemed necessary. *These categories of Directory Information may not be shared with individuals or organizations outside the School.

  The following items are defined as Personally Identifiable information and can never be disclosed by MSM except to the student themselves upon request, to others upon the student’s consent to disclosure, or pursuant to subpoena or court order:

  • Social Security Number
  • Race
  • Gender
  • Grades
  • GPA
  • Country of citizenship
  • Religion

  2. Non-directory Information
  Manhattan School of Music does not permit access to or the release of education records without the student’s consent, except under the following exemptions:

  • School officials with legitimate educational interest.  A School official is a person employed by the institution in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the School has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, or security guard); a person serving on the Board of trustees; or, when deemed appropriate a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, assisting another School official in order to fulfill their professional responsibly. However, it is the School’s discretion to determine what is a legitimate educational interest and determine whether student privacy interests outweigh such interest.
  • Health and Safety Emergencies. In connection with an emergency, the School may release information to appropriate parties, including student’s parents, to protect the health and safety of a student or any other person.
  • Financial Aid or Veterans Affairs benefits. In connection with financial aid or Veteran Affairs benefits for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary for purposes such as determination of eligibility, amount or conditions, or enforcement of the terms and conditions of the aid.
  • Parents of dependent student. If the student is claimed as a dependent by either parent for tax purposes, under the IRS rules, then either parent may be given access under this provision. Although FERPA permits this disclosure, it does not require a school to do so. The School will require written student consent on file before disclosing information to parents whose child is a dependent.
  • Court Order of Subpoena. To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. The School will first notify the student at the student’s most recent address (postal or electronic). However, some judicial orders and subpoenas issued for law enforcement purposes specify that the School cannot disclose to any person the existence or contents of the order or subpoena or the information furnished in compliance with it.
  • Enrollment or Transfer. Educational records can be released to the officials of another institution if the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled for the purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.
  •  Registered Sex Offenders. The disclosure concerns sex offenders or other individuals required to register under Section 170101 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Wetterling Act), (42 U.S. Code § 14071) and the information was provided to the School under that statute and applicable federal guidelines.
  • Alcohol or substance use by those under 21. The disclosure is to inform parent or legal guardian of a student under the age of 21 at the time of the disclosure that the student has committed a disciplinary violation with respect to the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance. The determination may be made other than through a disciplinary proceeding.
  • Accrediting Organizations. The disclosure is to accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
  • Designated Governmental Authorities. The disclosure is to authorized representatives of the United States Comptroller General, Secretary of Education, or Attorney General or to State or local educational authorities, 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 which relate to those programs.

• Questions?

  917-493-4478
  registrar@msmnyc.edu

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