Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment, protects the privacy of student educational records while allowing colleges to maintain campus safety. The act affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their educational records. An “eligible student” is a student who is 18 years of age or older or a student any age who attends a postsecondary institution. The Student Records Office is the office authorized to release student information.
Rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA):
The following student rights are covered by the Act and afforded to eligible students:
- The right to inspect and review information in the student’s educational records
- The right to request amendment of the contents of the student’s educational records if believed to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights
- The right to limit disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in educational records (except in certain situations specified in the FERPA regulations)
- The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the provisions of the Act
Each of these rights, with any limitations or exceptions, is explained in the college’s policy statement, which may be obtained from the Registrar.
Central Carolina Technical College will disclose information from a student’s educational record only with the written consent of the student except in certain situations. FERPA allows disclosure of information without written consent from the student under the following circumstances:
- To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records and have a need to know (includes persons employed by the College or under contract with the College to perform a special task, such as an attorney or auditor);
- Agents acting on behalf of the institution (contractors, consultants);
- Federal, state, and local educational and governmental agencies;
- Organizations conducting studies for educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, student aid, or instruction;
- Accrediting agencies;
- Department of Defense;
- Authorized representative of the College may release information which is specifically requested to lawyers for the plaintiff and defendant upon subpoena issued by proper court authorities;
- To appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies;
- Parents if their student (under 21) has violated the alcohol or drug policy at the College; and
- Disclosure of “directory information”
Directory Information
In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), certain directory information may be released without the written consent of the student. Directory information is general information that may be released by the College, at its discretion, unless a request for nondisclosure is on file in the Student Records Office. The following is considered directory information at Central Carolina Technical College:
- student’s name
- address
- e-mail address
- telephone number
- program of study
- dates of enrollment
- honors and awards received
- degree/diploma awarded
- unique student identifier numbers (not Social Security Number)
- photographic, videographic and electronic images
Directory information will only be released while exercising extreme caution, so as not to cause harm to the student. If you wish not to have this information released, you must make a request for nondisclosure with the Student Records Office.
Students have 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, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901