Policies & Procedures
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
This federal law affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.
Inspect and review
Students have the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of the day the college receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Senior Associate Dean of the Enrollment Services Office a written request that identifies 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 and the name of the college official responsible for the record(s).
Amending Records
Students may ask the college to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. 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. If the college decides not to amend the records 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 at that time.
Consenting to Disclosures
Students have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the education records.
- Exception: disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests, i.e. to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. 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 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.
Upon request, the college discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. FERPA requires an institution to make a reasonable attempt to notify the student of the records request unless the institution states in its annual notification that it intends to forward records on request.
