FERPA Regulations
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
All student records of ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ are maintained in accordance with the
provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. The two basic
elements of the act are the student's right to review and challenge his/her record
and the conditions under which information in the record can be released to outside
parties. A copy of the complete text of this act is available in the college library.
Further information about the federal regulation may be found at:
Student Records and Privacy Act Definitions
- Student – any person who attends or has attended ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ (MSJC)
- Education records – any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, photograph or
other medium) maintained by MSJC or any agent of the college that is directly related
to a student, except:
- A personal record kept by a staff member, if it is kept in the personal possession of the individual who made the record, and information contained in the record has never been revealed or made available to any other person except the maker’s temporary substitute;
- An employment record of an individual, whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he or she is a student, provided the record is used only in relation to the individual’s employment;
- Records maintained by MSJC security if the record is maintained solely for law enforcement purposes, is revealed only to law enforcement agencies of the same jurisdiction and does not have access to education records maintained by the college;
- Records maintained by health services if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those people providing the treatment; and
- Alumni records containing information about a student after he or she is no longer
in attendance at the college and the records do not relate to the person as a student.
Procedure to Inspect Records
Right to Refuse Access
- The financial statement of the student’s parents;
- Letters and statements of recommendation for which the student has waived his or her right of access, or which were placed in the file before January 1, 1975;
- Those records which are excluded from the FERPA definition of education records.
Refusal to Provide Copies
- The student lives within commuting distance of the college;
- The student has an unpaid financial obligation to the college;
- There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student.
Directory Information
Disclosure of Education Records
MSJC will disclose information from a student’s education record only with the written consent of the student*, except to:
- College officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records;
- To officials of another school or college, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll;
- To certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Controller General and state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs;
- In connection with a student’s request for, or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid;
- To organizations conducting certain studies for, or on behalf of the college;
- To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions;
- To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena;
- To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.