Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - FERPA

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT MY WORK?

FERPA stipulates that students 18 years or older, or attending an institution of higher education, may have:

• Access to their education records
• An opportunity to amend their education records
• Some control over the disclosure of information from their records

Under FERPA MCC is required to:

• Provide students an opportunity to inspect and review education records within 45 days of a request
• Obtain student consent prior to disclosing FERPA-protected information from education records
• Consider student requests to amend disputed information in their education record

While release of non-directory information generally requires student consent, MCC may release student record information in specific instances such as:

• Student transfer
• School audit, evaluation, or accreditation
• Compliance with a judicial order or subpoena

MCC is not required to:

• Change a grade or disciplinary decision
• Alter the reflections of a school official recorded in an education record
• Provide student access to financial information submitted by parents
• Allow access to information placed in student files before 1975
• Give access to student legal, medical, or financial information to organizations outside of MCC or to any third party

AT A GLANCE

Title: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Buckley Amendment)

Signed into Law: 1974

Official Oversight: U.S. Department of Education

Issues Addressed:

• Access to and protection of student education records
• Student assumption of rights to review and release student record information at age 18 or when the student attends an institution of higher education
• Student rights to review, challenge, amend, and control the distribution of student record information

Organizations Covered:

FERPA applies to all schools that receive funds under programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, including schools such as community colleges, colleges, technical institutions, and universities

MCC Units Affected:

• All Departments
• MCC Student Association

Who to Contact:

Call the Registration and Records office at (585) 292-2300 with FERPA-related questions

Safeguarding Information

Most information in the student record is protected under FERPA. Only directory information may generally be released without prior student consent. Unless the student requests that MCC not release directory information, information such as student name, major field of study, period of attendance, degrees and awards, participation in campus and athletic activities may be released.

More information on educational records and the policies and procedures related to record access, review, and challenge, are available through Registration and Records.

• DMCA
• FERPA
• GLB
• HIPAA
• SOX