5040 Disclosure of Student Information - FERPA

Policy Details

Policy Name: Disclosure of Student Information - FERPA

Policy Number:  5040 

Applicable Code/Law: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) 

Policy: 

The College complies with and enforces the guidelines of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). The following policy is established to meet compliance requirements associated with FERPA. 

 Students have the following rights and protections related to the privacy of their educational records at the College:  

  • The right to be informed and inspect their educational records within forty-five (45) calendar days from the day Enrollment Services at the College receives the request;  
  • The right to request, in writing, amendment of the records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading;  
  • The right to consent to disclosures of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent;    
  • The right to waive their rights in writing;  
  • The right to file a complaint to the Department of Education if they feel their FERPA rights have been violated.  The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) of the Department of Education is responsible for the administration and enforcement of FERPA laws. A student may file a complaint at the following addresses:    

Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-4605
FERPA.Complaints@ed.gov
https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint 

Education Records  

Education records are defined as any record maintained by the College, or an agent of the College, which is directly related to the student.  Education records can exist in any medium, including but not limited to handwritten, typed, electronic, computer generated, videotape, audiotape, film, microfilm, microfiche, and email, among others.  

Education records do not include the following:   

  • Personal records kept in the sole possession of a staff member, not accessible or revealed to any other person, or kept on file;  
  • Records created and maintained by public safety for strictly law enforcement purposes and not shared with other school officials;  
  • Employment records unless employment is contingent upon student status;   
  • Records created by a healthcare professional pertaining to accessibility and support services, such as those maintained by Student Accessibility Services and the Counseling Center; or  
  • Alumni records created or received about a student after they are no longer in attendance, and do not relate to the person as a student.  

Directory Information  

Directory information is considered non-harmful or non-invasive of privacy if released and may be disclosed without the prior written consent of the student.  Students have the option of refusing the release of directory information by contacting Enrollment Services. 

The College has designated the following items as directory information:  

  •  Student name  
  •  Dates of attendance  
  •  Enrollment status (full or part time)  
  •  Degrees and certificates awarded  
  •  Honors  
  •  Major or field of study  
  •  Date of graduation  
  •  Height and weight of student athletes 

The College may disclose information from a student’s educational records only with the written consent of the student, except under the following limited circumstances authorized by FERPA:  

  • To school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is defined as a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or support staff position (including College security);  
  • In connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid to determine eligibility, amount, or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid;  
  • To parents of a student who is a dependent of the parent for tax purposes, even without the student’s consent. For FERPA purposes, a “parent” of a student includes a natural parent, a guardian, or an individual acting as a parent in the absence of a parent or a guardian; 
  • Disclosure to parents of a student under 21 years of age when the student is a dependent of the parent for tax purposes and has violated any law or policy concerning the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance;  
  • To other resources providing funding assistance to the student;  
  • Accrediting organizations;   
  • To community-based organizations, such as volunteer organizations, professional organizations, or foundations conducting studies for or on behalf of the college after entry of a formal written agreement to follow FERPA;    
  • To appropriate parties including parent(s) in a health or safety emergency.  

The College must disclose information from students’ educational records only with the written consent of the student, except under the following limited circumstances authorized by FERPA: 

  • Provide military recruiters with directory information, including contact and degree or certificate information pursuant to the Solomon Amendment, except for students who have explicitly requested their information be restricted from view 
  • To the Department of Homeland Security  
  • To the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in response to the 1997 Taxpayer Relief Act  
  • To the Department of Veterans Affairs for those students receiving veterans benefits  
  • In response to a legally served subpoena   

Inquiries from all third parties, including family members (except parent(s) in limited circumstances), other students, outside agencies, groups and organizations, and the public are considered as coming from outside the college and require written authorization from the student.  

FERPA requires that students be informed at least annually of their rights under FERPA.  

Adopted: 

Adopted: 03/08/1971
Reviewed by Academic and Student Affairs Council: 01/26/2026
Reviewed by Institutional Equity Advisory Committee: 03/20/2026
Recommended by ET: 4/28/26