FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA applies to all institutions that receive funding from the Department of Education.

FERPA allows FVCC to disclose records or personally identifiable information from education records in the following circumstances: with the written consent of the student, if the disclosure meets one of the regulatory exemptions, or if the disclosure is directory information and the student has not placed a hold on the release of information.

FVCC will release to outside agencies or persons, upon request, the following directory information pertaining to a specific student:

  • Name
  • Photograph
  • Phone number
  • Temporary or permanent address
  • Home or campus email address
  • Campus location
  • Enrollment status
  • Dates of attendance
  • Area of study
  • Degrees/certificates awarded
  • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
  • Honors and awards received
  • Grade level

Complete student directory information will be provided according to the Solomon Amendment.

Students who choose not to have any or all of the directory information released are required to inform the Admissions and Registration Office in writing by submitting a “Nondisclosure of Directory Information” form available under Key Forms & Documents.

The college will not release other information without written permission unless subpoenaed by a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction (M.C.A.20-25-515).

Students have the right to review and inspect all information pertaining to their educational records, including admissions and academic records.The Admissions and Registration Office requires at least 48 hours’ notice to release a student’s records for review. Students may request an amendment to their records if they feel the records are inaccurate, misleading, or violate their rights.If the amendment is denied, the contents can be challenged through a hearing process with the Dean of Student Affairs.

According to FERPA regulations, a student’s educational records may be disclosed without prior written consent to specific bodies. A record of each request will be kept in the student’s file.

Students may file complaints regarding FERPA in writing to the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-5920.

FERPA prohibits disclosure of academic information to third parties without prior written consent of the student. (Exception: the disclosure of academic information to other agencies or institutions that have requested the records and in which the student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.)