Laurel Ridge Community College annually informs students of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). This act was designated to protect the privacy of educational records. Under FERPA students have certain rights with respect to their education records.
Under the provisions of FERPA, school officials may release directory information at their discretion without prior consent of the student. Directory information at Laurel Ridge is defined below. The student has the right to withhold disclosure of all information and may do so by completing a Request to Withhold Directory Information Form available in the Admissions Office at each location. Submitting this form prevents Laurel Ridge from releasing any information about a student, including a student’s attendance.
Students may grant their parents (or others) permission to access their educational records by filing an FERPA Release Form. This form is available in the Admissions Office at each Laurel Ridge location. This form remains in effect until the student revokes it, in writing.
FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.
These rights are:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish 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 is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. 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 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.
- 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 the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as the bookstore, an 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. Upon request, the College may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Laurel Ridge to comply with the requirements of FERPA. 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
Directory Information
The following is considered “Directory Information” at Laurel Ridge and may be made available to the general public unless the student notifies the Registrar in writing or via his or her MY Laurel Ridge account within five days after the first day of class registration of the regular semester:
- Student’s name
- Major/field of study
- Grade level
- Number of credit hours
- Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
- Height/weight of athletic team members
- Dates of attendance
- Degrees, honors and awards received
- Most recent educational institution attended
- Photographs
Laurel Ridge may disclose education records in certain other circumstances:
- To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest.
- To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena
- To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency
- To officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll
- 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 of the aid
- To state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs,
- To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions
- To organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of Laurel Ridge
- To remain in compliance with the Solomon Amendment
- To a parent who legally declares the student as a dependent and provides documentation of such
- To disclose to parents and legal guardians of students under the age of 21, regardless of their dependency status, of information regarding a student’s violation of laws and policies governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance
For more detailed information concerning Laurel Ridge’s records policy, see a representative from the Records Office.