FERPA Annual Notification To Students

Educational institutions are required to annually notify enrolled students of their rights under the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended.  This website fulfills this obligation and serves as the annual FERPA notification to students at Craven Community College.

What rights do student have under FERPA?

FERPA affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution at any age. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 calendar days after the College receives the request. 

The student should submit to the College Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) to be inspected.  The Registrar will coordinate with the student for a time and location for the review.  If the Registrar does not possess the requested documents, the Registrar advise the student, and coordinate the request with any other College office or employee that possesses it.

2. The right to request amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

The student should submit to the College Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) to be amended, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, the College will notify the student in writing of the decision and 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.

3. The right to provide written consent before the college discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

Students may elect to release their PII to specified third-party individuals by completing College Form 3.7.1a. Student Release of Information.  This release may be withdrawn at any time, using the same form.

As permitted by FERPA, the College may disclose certain education records without a student’s prior written consent as follows:

• For disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests,
  • A school official is a person employed by Craven Community College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using College employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a member of the College’s the Board of Trustees; 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 responsibilities for the College.
• On the student’s application for financial aid,
• To submit proof of dependency,
• In response to a judicial order or subpoena,
• For a bona fide health or safety emergency,
• As information that has been requested by other agencies or schools in which the student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled when the disclosure is related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, and,
• Certain information the college has designated as “directory information” and is defined as information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed, unless the student specifically requests in writing that all such information not be made public without written consent.
  • The College has designated the following as “Student Directory Information:”
    • Name 
    • Participation in officially recognized, courses, programs, and other college activities 
    • Address 
    • Telephone listing 
    • Weight and height of athletic team members 
    • Degrees, honors, and awards received 
    • Date and place of birth 
    • Major field of study 
    • Dates of attendance 
    • Educational agencies or previous institutions attended 
  • Students have the right to withhold the disclosure of Directory Information unless the College receives written consent from the student.  Students may request non-disclosure by completing College Form 3.7.1b, Directory Information Non-Disclosure and submitting it to the Registrar’s Office.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202