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Notification of Rights Under FERPA
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords
students certain rights with respect to their education records. They
are:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records
within 45 days of the day Blue Ridge Community College receives a
request for access.
Students should submit to the dean of academic support services,
vice-president, dean 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.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s education
records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.
Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is
inaccurate or misleading. 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 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.
- 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 Blue Ridge Community College in an
administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff
position; a person or company with whom the College has contracted
(such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person
serving on the Blue Ridge Community College Board; 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 responsibility.
Upon request, the College discloses education records without
consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or
intends to enroll.
- The right to withhold the disclosure of any and all categories
of “directory information.” Blue Ridge Community College defines
directory information to include: name, address, telephone listing,
electronic mail listing, date of birth; major field(s) of study;
degrees, awards and honors; date(s) of attendance; enrollment
status; participation in officially recognized activities and
sports, course credit load, and the most recent previous educational
agency or institution attended by student. Students who wish to
prevent disclosure of directory information to persons outside the
College may do so by completing the Request For Non-Disclosure of
Information form in the Admissions & Records office within the first
three weeks of each semester.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of
Education concerning alleged failures by Blue Ridge Community
College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and
address of the Office that administers FERPA are:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605
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