Family Education Rights and Privacy Act

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. FERPA prohibits MACC from sharing information about you with other individuals unless the College has certified proof that the individual inquiring on your behalf is your legal guardian AND that you are financially dependent upon that individual. Financially dependent is defined as a legal dependent claimed on the most recent IRS tax statement.

We cannot inform third parties of the balance of your account or the amount of your Pell Grant or student loan check; or, if you have made payments on your account, or the amount and date of the payment; and we cannot provide grades and information concerning your enrollment status except to specific state and federal agencies requesting information necessary to service you appropriately. Transcripts are only released under your explicit written authorization.

The following is an outline of FERPA, 34 Code of Federal Regulations Part 99:

The right to inspect and review the student's educational records within 45 days of the day Moberly Area Community college receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar, Dean of Student Services, Dean of Academic Affairs, or other appropriate official written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. the MACC 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 MACC, the 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 or misleading. Students may ask MACC to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the MACC official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If MACC decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, MACC will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the rquest 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 that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person empoyed by MACC in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research,or support staff position; a person or company with whom MACC has contracted(such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in orfer to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, MACC discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Directory information may be released without a student's prior consent; this information is limited to:

student name, date admitted, mailing address and telephone number, local address and telephone number semesters of attendance, major, specialization, school, enrollment status, full-or part-time status classification (freshman, sophomore, etc.), degree sought, honors and awards, degrees and dates received, and participation in officially recognized intercollegiate sports, weight, height, hometown, parents' names and previous school(s) attended (for members of athletic teams).

The right to file a complaint with the US Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Moberly Area Community College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA:

Family Policy Compliance Office
US Department of Education
600 Independence Ave., SW
Washington DC 20202-4605

http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html

Note: Students have the right to withold the release of information designated as "directory information" by submitting to the Registrar in the Student Services Office, a request written and signed that "directory information" not be released. This request is effective until revoked in writing by the eligible student to the same office.

In order to view a complete copy of 34 CFR Part 99, go to:
http://www.clhe.org/newferp.htm.

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