FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

MODEL NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT
STUDENT NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS
___________________ COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

(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 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 College official to whom the request was submitted does not maintain the records, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

(2) The right to request the amendment of 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 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 or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company within 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.

(4) The right to be notified annually by the College of what student record information the College designates as “directory information,” and the right to request that no student information be designated as directory information.

The College identifies the following student information as directory information: ____________. Directory information may be released by the College to a requesting third-party without a student’s prior written consent. A student has the right to request that none or only some of his/her student record information be designated as directory information. A student must notify the College's Registrar, in writing, within two (2) weeks of the beginning of each academic semester if he/she does not wish to have any or some of his/her student information designated as directory information.

Notwithstanding the College's definition of directory information, the Department of Defense (the “DOD”), pursuant to the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 (the “Solomon Amendment”), identifies the following information as “student recruiting information”: student name, address, and telephone listing; and if known, student’s age, level of education, and major. If the College receives a request for student recruiting information from the DOD, or one of its affiliated agencies, the College will release the student recruiting information requested. Because the information sought by the DOD may include information not designated as directory information under the College’s policy, compliance with the DOD’s request may result in the release of personally identifiable information. When student recruiting information is released pursuant to a DOD request, notice of the request and the release of the information will be posted in a conspicuous location in the College's Registrar's Office for a period equaling one academic year.

If a student has exercised his/her right to request that no information be designated as directory information, then no information shall be released to any third party, including the DOD.

(5) 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 is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-5901.

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