Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act (FERPA) Of 1974
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 helps protect the privacy of student education records. The Act provides for the right to inspect and review education records, the right to seek to amend those records and to limit disclosure of information from the records. The intent of the legislation is to protect the rights of students and to ensure the privacy and accuracy of education records. The Act applies to all institutions that are the recipients of federal aid administered by the Secretary of Education.
- 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 written requests to the registrar’s office and identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The staff of the office will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the requested records are not maintained by the registrar’s office, the student will be notified of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The right to request an amendment to 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 submit the request in writing to the registrar’s office and 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 will be provided to the student when notified of the 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 which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university 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. In addition, the college may also disclose education records to another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. 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. State and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and personally identifiable information without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program, as well as to researchers performing certain types of studies.
- 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 Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
For a complete copy of Central’s FERPA policy, contact the registrar’s office, Central Hall (2nd Floor), 641.628.5442 or registrar@central.edu. Additional information is also available at: http://departments.central.edu/registrar/student-privacyferpa/
Directory Information
At its discretion Central College may provide directory information in accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). Central College does not release lists of directory information to any person or agency making unsolicited requests. Directory information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. At Central College this includes a student’s: name, home address (city, state/country), parent name(s), parent(s) home address (city, state/country), campus mail box, Central College electronic mail address, phone number (including cell phone), major(s)/minor(s), dates of attendance, date and title of degree, honors and awards received, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, thesis titles/topics, photograph/image, current enrollment status, (full-time/part-time), class standing (junior, senior, etc.), anticipated graduation date, previous institutions attended.
All other information (i.e. grades, course schedule, financial aid, tuition/fees owed and disciplinary records) are considered confidential and will not be released, with certain exceptions, without the student’s written permission. If you wish to have non-directory information released, you need to sign Consent to Release Educational Records form and return it to the registrar’s office (2nd Floor, Central Hall) to authorize the college to do so. Students may withhold directory information by completing a Request for Non-disclosure of Directory Information form which is available in the registrar’s office.
Photographing and Filming of Students
Photographers and videographers employed or contracted by Central College frequently take photographs and video (including image and voice) of students to illustrate or describe various aspects of college and campus life. Photos/videos are taken at on-campus venues such as athletics events, classrooms, concerts and activities. In addition, photos and recordings may be taken at other organized campus photo/video shoots at which the subjects will have given verbal consent to be photographed or filmed. Individuals who are photographed/filmed while attending a public event or who verbally agree to participate in a photo or video shoot have given Central College the right to use their likenesses in any and all print and electronic materials used to promote and celebrate the college. Central will retain the usage rights to the photographs and videography in perpetuity.
For more information contact the registrar’s office, Central Hall (2nd Floor), 641.628.5442 or registrar@central.edu.