The Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) afford students certain
rights with respect to their educational records.
These rights include:
1.
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
records(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, the official shall advise the student of
the correct official to whom the written request should be
addressed. The form for this use is
available from the Office of
Student Affairs and the Registrar’s Office both located in Poling
Hall.
2.
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.
3.
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 which 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 or research, or support
staff position, 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 discipline 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.
4.
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.
SOURCE:
This Model Notification of Rights under FERPA for
Postsecondary Institutions was developed by the Family Policy
Compliance Office.
*
Personally identifiable information:
A.
A student’s name
B.
Permanent and
local college addresses
C.
All telephone
numbers of record
D.
Date and place
of birth
E.
Major field of
study
F.
Participation in
officially recognized activities or sports
G.
Weight and
height of members of athletic teams
H.
Dates of
attendance
I.
Degrees and
awards received
J.
Most recent
previous school attended
K.
Photograph
**FERPA
Disclosure Exceptions
Under Federal Law, the following have access to personally
identifiable information without the consent of the student:
A.
College
officials and teachers
B.
Representatives
of the Comptroller General of the United States, the Secretary or
state educational authorities
C.
Financial aid
officials
D.
Organizations
conducting studies for educational institutions or agencies
E.
Accrediting
organizations
F.
Parents of
dependent students
G.
Legal
authorities with judicial order of subpoena
H.
Appropriate
parties in health or safety emergencies
I.
Representatives
of the Secretary of Defense
