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Student Records - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

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

They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Allan Hancock College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the director, Admissions and Records, a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The director 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 Admissions and Records office, the student shall be advised of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 OR attends a school beyond the high school level.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate. Students may ask Allan Hancock College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the director, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If Allan Hancock College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the student shall be notified of the decision and advised as to his or her 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 Allan Hancock College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom Allan Hancock College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, degree conferral and transcript processing agent, document managing agent and placement sites for internship or similar student work/study opportunities); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; 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; and/or consultants, volunteers, or other outside parties to whom Allan Hancock College has outsourced institutional services or functions that it would otherwise use employees to perform. 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. As allowed within FERPA guidelines, Allan Hancock College may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Allan Hancock College to comply with the requirements of 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 20202-4605
   
   At its discretion Allan Hancock College may provide Directory Information in accordance with the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. Directory Information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.
   
   Designated Directory Information at Allan Hancock College includes the following: name; date and place of birth, dates of attendance; most recent previous public or private school attended; major field of study; hometown; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height; and high school of graduation of athletic team members; degrees and awards received by students, including honors, scholarship awards, athletic awards, and dean’s list recognition. Students may withhold Directory Information by notifying the director of Admissions and Records in writing; please note that such withholding requests are binding for all information to all parties other than for those exceptions allowed under the Act. Students should consider all aspects of a Directory Hold prior to filing such a request. Requests for nondisclosure will be honored by Allan Hancock College for no more than one academic year.
   
   Reauthorization to withhold Directory Information must be filed annually in the Admissions and Records office.