Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College campus receives a request for access.
   Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish 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.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate.
   Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of your privacy rights under FERPA. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
   If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of a 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.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure 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 College law enforcement personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or an individual assisting another school official in performing a task. A school official also includes a contractor, consultant, volunteer or other party to whom the College has outsourced services or functions that would be otherwise performed by employees, as well as the State Comptroller and his or her agents and representatives for the purpose of conducting audits.
   A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill the official’s professional responsibility for the College.
   Upon request, the College discloses education records without consent to officials of another college or school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or has enrolled.
4. The right to file a complaint with U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Dallas College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. To file a FERPA complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, contact the Office that administers FERPA at:
   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U .S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
5. FERPA permits the release of directory information to third parties. The College has designated the following information as Directory information:
   1. name;
   2. home address;
   3. email address;
   4. home telephone number;
   5. field of study;
   6. photograph;
   7. dates of attendance;
   8. enrollment status, i.e., full-time, part-time, undergraduate, graduate;
   9. degrees, certificates and other honors and awards received;
   10. the type of award received;
   11. participation in officially recognized activities and sports;
   12. weight and height of members of athletic teams;
   13. student classification; or
   14. name of the most recent previous institution attended.

The primary purpose of directory information is to allow the College to disclose this information, without a student’s written permission, to the public and/or anyone inquiring in person, by phone, or in writing, and to use this information within the College. For example, the college may use the information in College publications, such as the honor roll or other recognition lists; graduation programs; and sports activity sheets, showing weight and height of team members. Directory information may be provided to outside organizations which include, but are not limited to, companies that manufacture class rings or publish yearbooks, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and other academic honor societies for students who are eligible to be considered for membership.

The College may disclose directory information unless the student provides written notice to the college to protect it from disclosure. This notice is available at the Admissions and Student Records/Registrar’s Office upon request. This notification authorizes the College not to list directory information in its publications or to disclose it to the public. This notice will remain in effect until the student withdraws it. No telephone requests for directory information will be accepted. If a student chooses to withhold any or all directory information, that information cannot be released any other party, including, but not limited to, another institution of education, prospective employer, family, friends, the news media, advisors, student activities, and honors societies. Therefore, if another party seeks confirmation of status as a student, the College will not be able to provide that information without written consent from the student. The College is not responsible for anything that may or may not occur as a result of honoring your request to withhold directory information. Transcripts or academic records are not released without a student’s written consent except as allowed by law.

Students may request that all or any part of the directory information be withheld from the public by giving written notice to the Registrar’s Office during the first 12 class days of a fall or spring semester or the first 4 class days of a summer session. Students may protect their directory information at any time during the academic year if they are unable to provide written notice within these time frames.

Note: If you have elected to withhold directory information, then for information to appear on your transcripts and diploma when you graduate, you must rescind the information hold before you graduate.

Disclosure without prior consent: FERPA permits (and sometimes requires) the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, § 99.32 of FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures.

In addition to school officials with legitimate educational interests and officials at certain other schools, the College may, consistent with more detailed guidance and limitations from FERPA, disclose PII from the education records without obtaining prior written consent:

• To the U. S. Comptroller General, Attorney General, or Secretary of Education.
• To certain State and Local educational authorities.
• In connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or ompliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs.
• In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, the amount of the aid, or the conditions of the aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
• To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction.
• To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
• To the student’s parents if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
• To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency.
• To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense.
• To the general public, the final results of a disciplinary proceeding, if the college determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and has committed a violation of the college’s policies with respect to these allegations.
• To parents of a student under age 21 regarding the student’s violation of any law or college rule governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the college determines the student committed a disciplinary violation.