The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) grants students rights regarding their education records. At Columbia-Greene Community College, these rights include:
- Right to Access: Students can inspect and review their education records within 45 days of a written request to the Registrar. The Registrar will arrange access and inform you of the review details.
- Right to Request Amendment: If a record is inaccurate, misleading, or violates privacy rights, students can request an amendment by writing to the Registrar. If the request is denied, students will be notified and informed of their right to a hearing.
- Right to Consent to Disclosures: Personally identifiable information from education records will not be disclosed without written consent, except in FERPA-approved situations, such as disclosure to college officials with legitimate educational interests.
- Right to File a Complaint: If you believe the College has not complied with FERPA requirements, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education at:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202
Phone: 1-800-872-5327
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) outlines specific conditions under which educational institutions may disclose students' personally identifiable information (PII) without obtaining prior written consent. These exceptions are detailed in §99.31 of the FERPA regulations. When such disclosures occur, institutions are generally required to document them, and eligible students have the right to inspect and review these records.
The exceptions permitting disclosure without prior consent include:
- Disclosure to School Officials with Legitimate Educational Interests: This includes individuals employed by the institution—such as faculty, administrative staff, and contractors—who have legitimate educational interests in accessing the information.
- Disclosure to Officials of Another Institution: PII may be shared with officials of another institution where the student intends to enroll or is already enrolled for purposes related to enrollment or transfer.
- Disclosure in Connection with Financial Aid: Information may be shared to determine eligibility for financial aid or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
- Disclosure to Organizations Conducting Studies: PII can be shared with organizations conducting studies to improve education or administer student aid programs, provided personal identification is not made by the organization.
- Disclosure to Accrediting Organizations: Information may be disclosed to accrediting bodies for their accrediting functions.
- Disclosure to Parents of Dependent Students: PII may be shared with parents if the student is claimed as a dependent for tax purposes.
- Disclosure in Compliance with Judicial Orders or Subpoenas: PII can be disclosed to comply with a judicial order or subpoena, with prior notification to the student unless prohibited.
- Disclosure in Health or Safety Emergencies: Institutions can disclose PII if there is a significant threat to health or safety, to parties whose knowledge is necessary for protection.
- Disclosure of Directory Information: Institutions can disclose directory information (e.g., name, contact details, field of study) unless a student has opted out.
- Disclosure to Victims of Crimes of Violence or Non-Forcible Sex Offenses: The institution may disclose the final results of disciplinary proceedings to victims of violent crimes or non-forcible sex offenses.
- Disclosure to the General Public of Final Results of Disciplinary Proceedings: Final results may be shared with the public if a student has been found to have violated institutional rules related to a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense.
- Disclosure to Parents Regarding Violations of Laws or Policies Governing Alcohol or Controlled Substances: If a student under 21 violates laws or policies concerning alcohol or drugs, information may be disclosed to their parents.
It's important to note that while FERPA permits these disclosures without prior consent, institutions are generally required to record such disclosures and must provide students the opportunity to review records of these disclosures. Additionally, institutions must inform students about their rights under FERPA, including their right to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with FERPA requirements.
For a comprehensive understanding of FERPA's provisions and exceptions, you can refer to the U.S. Department of Education's resources on FERPA.
Directory Information:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Under FERPA, "directory information" refers to certain information in a student's education record that can be disclosed without the student's written consent, unless the student has opted out of such disclosure. According to 20 U.S.C. 1232g(a)(5)(A), directory information may include:
- The student's name
- Address
- Email addresses
- Telephone listing
- Major field of study
- Dates of attendance
- Enrollment status (full-time or part-time)
- Degrees and awards received
- Dates of degrees, honors, and awards
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Weight and height of members of athletic teams
Students have the right to withhold the disclosure of such directory information by submitting a request to the Registrar's Office. At the post-secondary level, parents do not have an inherent right to access their child's educational records. Access is limited solely to the student, unless one of the following conditions is met:
- The student provides written consent.
- The institution complies with a subpoena.
- The disclosure is in connection with a health or safety emergency, as determined by the college.
- The parents submit official evidence, such as a federal tax return transcript, demonstrating that the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.
It's important to note that even if parents have submitted their tax returns to the Financial Aid Office, this does not automatically grant them access to the student's records. A recent federal tax transcript must be submitted along with the request to the Registrar.