The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, protects the privacy of educational records, establishes the students’ rights to inspect their educational records, provides guidelines for correcting inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings, and permits students to file complaints with FERPA concerning alleged failures of the Institution to comply with the Act. The following items are considered public data/information and may be disclosed by Western Dakota Tech in response to inquiries concerning individual students, whether the inquiries are in person, in writing or by telephone:

1. Name

2. Affirmation of whether currently enrolled

3. Campus location

The following items, in addition to those listed previously, are considered public/directory information and may be included in appropriate campus directories and publications and may be disclosed by designated staff members in response to inquiries concerning individual students, whether the inquiries are in person, in writing, or by telephone:

1. School, college, department, major or division

2. Dates of enrollment

3. Degree(s) received

4. Honors received

5. Local address, telephone number, and email address

6. Permanent home address

7. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports

To block dissemination of this information, a student must officially file a written request with the Dean of Enrollment Services within seven working days after the first day of registration. 

Western Dakota Tech has the responsibility for effectively supervising any access to and/or the release of official data/information about its students. Certain items of information about individual students are fundamental to the educational process and must be recorded. This recorded information concerning students must be used only for clearly defined purposes, must be safeguarded and controlled to avoid violations of personal privacy, and must be appropriately disposed of when the justification for its collection and retention no longer exists. In this regard, Western Dakota Tech is committed in protecting, to the maximum extent possible, the right of privacy of all individuals about whom it holds information, records, and files. Access to and release of such records is restricted to the student concerned, to others with the student's written consent, to officials within the Institute, to a court of competent jurisdiction, and otherwise pursuant to law.