Golden Gate University
Records Information Release Policy Statement

Statement of Purpose:

A. Golden Gate University (GGU) maintains a database of biographical and gift/pledge information about university alumni and friends in accordance with the general needs and expectations of the university community. The information contained in this database is intended exclusively for purposes related to university programs.

B. GGU maintains all student records, including records of its former students, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), Public Law 93-380, as amended. Under FERPA, former students who were in attendance at GGU and for whom GGU maintains personally identifiable information generally enjoy the same rights of confidentiality in this information as would current students at the university. For purposes of the GGU alumni database, GGU maintains personally identifiable information only of alumni, who have graduated from the university. In accordance with FERPA, these alumni have the right to provide written consent before the university discloses their personally identifiable information from the database, except to the extent FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

C. The university discloses personally identifiable information without an alumnus’ 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 university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using university employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

D. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an alumnus’ personally identifiable information in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the university.

E. The university may also disclose certain personally identifiable information for an alumnus without prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure of directory information. "Directory information" is information that is not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. GGU designates only the following as directory information:

· Full name
· Residential address (temporary and permanent)
· Employment address (including name of employer and employment position)
· Telephone number
· E-mail address
· Dates of attendance
· Enrollment status
· Major field of study
· Participation in officially recognized activities
· Awards
· Honors (including Dean's List)
· Degree(s) earned and date(s) conferred

F. If an alumnus would like his or her directory information not to be disclosed from the GGU alumni database, he or she may contact the GGU Advancement Office. This Request may be submitted at any time, and becomes effective the day it is received by the GGU Advancement Office. The Request remains in effect until revoked by the requestor in a written request to that same Office. During the time it is in effect, GGU will not disclose the requestor’s directory information from the GGU alumni database except upon the requestor’s written request.