FERPA

A. Rights of Students 

1. Students of Centra College have a right to 

§        Be provided a list of the types and location of educational records maintained by the College and the titles and contact information of the officials responsible for those records. (see handbook section “Management of Student Records”)  

§        Inspect and review education records within 45 days of a written request being presented to the authorized custodian of the records in question 

§        Receive a response from the College to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of Education Records within ten (10) business days 

§        Request amendments to their Education Records if the student believes that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of privacy rights.  If the College refuses to make such amendments, the student shall have an opportunity for an administrative hearing to challenge the content of the record on the same grounds and to insert a written statement or explanation commenting upon the information in the record 

§        Inspect and review only such parts of educational material documents as they relate to him/her or to be informed of such specific information 

§        Revoke, in writing, any previously executed waiver of rights under FERPA, with respect to any actions occurring after revocation.  

§        File complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue S. W., Washington, D.C. 20202-4605.   

B. Disclosure of Education Records. Education Records or other Personally Identifiable Information (other than Directory Information, as described in Section C. below) may not be disclosed without the student’s prior written consent except in the following instances. For purposes of compliance with FERPA, the College considers all students, regardless of age or tax dependency status to be independent. Therefore, educational records will not be provided to parents without the written consent of the student, except where one or more of the exceptions below applies 

1. To the student himself/herself, unless he/she has waived the right 
2. To College officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records. 
3. In connection with determining eligibility, amounts, and conditions, or enforcing terms of financial aid for which the student has applied or that which he or she has received 
4. To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena, provided the College makes a reasonable effort to notify the student of the order or subpoena in advance of the compliance therewith, unless such notification is not required by FERPA  
5. To appropriate parties in connection with a health and safety emergency where the College determines that there is an articulable and significant threat to a student or any other individuals, where the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals 
6. To law enforcement agencies and to certain other governmental authorities and agencies as are enumerated in and required or permitted by FERPA 
7. To a court in connection with legal action by the College against a student or a student’s parent or by a student or student’s parent against the College 
8. To a victim of an Alleged Perpetrator of a Crime of Violence or a Non-forcible Sex Offense. Such disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceedings conducted by the College with respect to the alleged crime or offense. The College may disclose the final results of the disciplinary proceeding regardless of whether the College concluded a violation was committed 
9. Disclosure of the final result of a disciplinary proceeding where the alleged student/perpetrator is found to have violated College policy with respect to a criminal allegation.  Such disclosure may be made (even to members of the public in certain circumstances) where the College has determined through its disciplinary proceedings that a student is (a) an Alleged Perpetrator of a Crime of Violence or a Non-forcible Sex Offense; and (b) with respect to the allegation made against the student, the student has committed a violation of the student code. Such a disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceedings conducted by the College with respect to the alleged crime or offense. The College may not disclose the name of any other student, including a victim or witness, without the prior written consent of the other student. 
10. To authorized representatives of the federal, state and/or local government as permitted by FERPA in connection with an audit of federal or state-supported education programs or with the enforcement of or compliance with federal legal requirements relating to those programs. 
11. To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions 
12. To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, educational agencies or institutions to: 

a. Develop, validate, or administer predictive tests

b. Administer student aid programs 

c. Improve instruction. 

Disclosures made pursuant to this paragraph are subject to the requirements that (i) the studies are conducted in a manner that does not permit personal identification of parents and students to individuals other than representatives of the organization; and (ii) the information is destroyed when no longer needed for the purposes for which the study was conducted. 

   13. Pursuant to a student record release request made under the Solomon Amendment. (See section D. below.)

C. Disclosure of Directory Information/Limited Directory Information Policy: 

The College hereby gives notice that the categories of information defined herein as Directory Information may be released without the prior written consent of the student under the circumstances enumerated below. The College reserves its right to determine when and to whom it is appropriate to release Directory Information in response to third party requests.  Any release of information deemed to be appropriate by the College will only occur as enumerated below: 

1. The following categories of Directory Information may be disclosed to anyone who so requests: 

• Name 
• Address 
• Date of Birth 
• Telephone Number 
• Major Field of Study 
• Degree Sought 
• Student Level 
• Degrees, Honors & Awards Received 
• Dates of Attendance