Privacy Policies
Privacy of Student Records (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, gives students certain rights, consistent with the privacy of others, to review records, files, and data about them held on an official basis by the College. The Act also gives students and former students a right to challenge the content of those records, files, and data which they believe are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their privacy and other rights.
Individuals may request review of the records maintained about them from the appropriate offices. Any challenges to the content of the records, files, and data that cannot be resolved directly should be made in writing to the Office of the Registrar. Information about students and former students assembled prior to January 1, 1975, under promises of confidentiality, explicit or implicit, will not be made available for review by the concerned students without the written consent of the authors.
Students who believe their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act have been violated may file a written complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-4605. Further information about this issue may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Registrar.
Directory Information and Release of Information
The items listed below are designated as Directory Information and may be released at the discretion of the institution. Under the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, students have the right to withhold the disclosure of any or all of the categories of Directory Information. Written notification to withhold any or all of Directory Information must be received by the Registrar by the second Friday in August of the academic year.
Directory information includes: the student’s name, address, telephone listing, e-mail address, date and place of birth, photograph, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student.
A request to withhold any or all of the above data in no way restricts internal use of the material by the College such as the release of academic information to college officials whose positions justify such release of information to them, or to college committees charged with the selection of students for College and National Honor Societies.
The College assumes that all students attending the College are “dependent students,” as that term is defined in the Internal Revenue Code. As such, the College may release information contained in a student’s record to the parents or guardians of a dependent student without the student’s written consent. Any student who is not a dependent must notify the College in writing of that fact; contact the Registrar’s Office for further information.