Notification of Student Rights under FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:
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The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access.
A student should submit to the Registrar, Division Chair, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
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The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA.
A student who wishes to ask the College to amend a record should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, the College will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student's right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
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The right to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. FERPA authorizes disclosure without the student's consent in the following cases:
- Directory Information which includes a student's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, date and place of birth, photograph, dates of attendance, full/part-time enrollment status, major field of study, degrees, awards and honors received, previous institutions attended, participation in athletic and student activities, and height and weight of members of athletic teams. Students have the right to prohibit the release of their own directory information by advising the Registrar's Office in writing.
- To school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College 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 as its agent to provide a service instead of using College employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Gordon State College Foundation; 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. 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 responsibilities for the College.
- Upon request, to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
- To provide results of disciplinary proceedings to an alleged victim of a crime of violence.
- To provide information from Gordon State College Department of Public Safety records.
- In the case of a health or safety emergency.
- To parents of dependent students as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. For purposes of compliance with FERPA, Gordon State College considers all students to be independent students unless otherwise indicated with appropriate documentation.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Gordon State 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