Notification of Students' Rights Under FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.
They are:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College 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 College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College 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.
- The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff), a person or company with whom the College has contracted (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. 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 responsibility. Upon request, the College discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
- When available in College records, any data labeled Directory Information may be released without student consent each time a request is made. Students not wishing dissemination of any part or all of “directory information” must notify the office of the registrar at the campus of attendance by completing a Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form (PDF) not later than the last day for one hundred percent refund as published in the College academic calendar. The request must be made each term. If no request exists for the last term a student was in attendance and the student is no longer enrolled, directory information may be released. Directory information will be released only by the Office of the Dean of Student Services or designee, after the requestor has demonstrated a legitimate need to have such information. Directory information will include the following:
- Student name
- Major field of study
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Weight and height of members of athletic teams
- Degrees, honors and awards received
- Enrollment status (full-time, half-time, not enrolled)
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by “The College” to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are: Family Policy Compliance Office / U.S. Department of Education / 400 Maryland Avenue, SW / Washington, D.C. 20202-5920.