Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. These rights include the following:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access. The student should submit to the College Registrar written requests that identify the record(s) the student wishes 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. The student may ask the College to amend a record that the student believes is inaccurate. The student should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. 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 his or her right to a hearing. A description of hearing procedures will be provided to the student when the student is 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 that permits disclosure without consent is to school officials with legitimate interests. A school official is a person employed by the 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 TALLAHASSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE POLICIES 110 — Tallahassee State College College has contracted (such as attorney, auditor or collection agent); a person serving on 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 responsibility.
• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failure by a college to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Contact information for FERPA is as follows:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5920
1 (800) 872-5327

Note: Directory Information*:

The “directory information” listed below may be released to anyone unless a student specifies in writing to the Registrar that the information is not to be released. (Nondirectory information may be released to state and governmental agencies in accordance with state and federal law.)

• Student’s name 
• Place of birth
• Major field of study
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Dates of attendance
• Degrees, academic honors, and awards
• Enrollment status
• Photographs**

*Students may choose to withhold all or some of the designated directory information by completing the “Non-Release of Information Form” in the Office of the Registrar. Any future release of such information would require written permission by the student.

**Although TSC has designated photographs as directory information, these will appear only in TSC-generated materials, such as College publications and the College Website.