Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

Student Record Confidentiality

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment), Carteret Community College is committed to protecting privacy for all students, including distance learning students. This protection includes the information collected, how it is used, how we protect it, when it can be released, and access to personal information. In addition to paper and electronic files, this applies to websites and email administered by the College.

The College may develop more specific privacy practices, procedures, and security statements related to the functionality of each web site. By using any College web site (Carteret Community College website, Moodle site, Web Advisor, etc.) you are giving your consent to the privacy and data practices described by our Privacy Procedures for that particular site. Any student, who believes that any right pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act has been violated or that college policy is not in compliance with the Act, may file a complaint directly to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA), Department of Health, Education and Welfare(HEW) 330 Independence Avenue S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201

Student Record Regulations

• Carteret Community College, in the fulfillment of its responsibilities to students, must maintain accurate and confidential student records. College staff recognizes the rights of students to have access to their academic and personal records in accordance with existing college policy and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment).
• Students’ records are their own property; therefore, this information is released only when a student signs an Academic Information Request Form. Students may have copies of their transcripts sent to any institutions or individuals they choose or may order copies for their own use. The college charges a nominal amount for copies of transcripts.
• The rules and regulations on access to and release of student information are available to students, faculty, and staff in this College Catalog. They specify the procedures for release of student information, student access to records, a description of all student records being maintained by the college, and the procedure for students to initiate a hearing to challenge accuracy of educational records.

Definition of Terms

For the purposes of this procedure, Carteret Community College has used the following definitions of terms:

• “STUDENT”- any person who attends, or has attended, the College.
• “FERPA” – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Notification Students will be notified of their FERPA rights upon admission, via annual email notification and through the College Catalog and Student Handbook.
• “EDUCATION RECORDS” Carteret Community College, in accordance with the North Carolina Community College System’s Records Retention & Disposition Schedule, defines a student’s education record as the student’s transcript and follows the records retention schedule established by the State for the disposal of other documents. Education records as defined under the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 include files, documents, and other materials which contain information directly related to students and which are maintained by an educational institution or by an authority on behalf of the institution. The term “education record,” under the provisions of the law, does not include the following:
  • Records of institutional, supervisory, and administrative personnel which are in the sole possession of the maker and which are not accessible or revealed to any other person except a substitute for the above named personnel;
  • Records and documents of security officers of the institution which are kept apart from such education records;
  • Records on students which are made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in an official capacity and which are made, maintained, or used only in connection with a provision for treatment for the student and are not available to anyone other than the persons providing such treatment, except that such records can be personally reviewed by a physician or other appropriate professional of a given student’s choice;
  • Financial records of the parents of the students or other information therein contained;
  • Records connected with an application to attend the College, or a component unit of the College, if that application was denied;
  • Confidential recommendations if a given student has signed a waiver of the student’s rights of access, provided such a waiver may not be required of the student; and
  • Confidential letters or statements of recommendation which were placed in educational records prior to January 1, 1975, if such records or statements are not used for purposes other than those for which they were specifically intended.
• “DIRECTORY INFORMATION” – although the college does not produce or provide a directory of student information for public use, the following information is considered by the college as available without individual student consent:
  • Student’s name and hometown;
  • Major field of study or program; and
  • Dates of attendance, degrees, diplomas, or awards earned.

Procedure to Inspect Education Records

Control Provisions on Student Records and Student Information.

• Transcripts and other information are released only with written permission of the student. When information other than the transcript is released from the student’s official record (Office of Student Records), the student will receive a copy of the release.
• Students have the right to inspect their own records whether recorded in hard copy form or digitally archived. Upon inspection of their records, students are entitled to an explanation of any information contained in their records.
• A student’s Education Record shall not be sent outside official enrollment areas (e.g., Counseling, Records,Admissions, Veterans Affairs) except in circumstances specifically authorized by the appropriate Dean. The authorization for such special circumstances must be in writing.

Release of a Student’s Education Records to Educational Institutions, State,and Federal Agencies.

• Such requests for confidential information shall not be honored without proper written consent by the student for the release of such records except under conditions indicated in paragraphs 2 and 5 below.
  • The written consent must specify the records or the specific data to be released, to whom they are to be released, and the reasons for release.
  • Each request for consent must be specific, and each request must be handled separately.

For more information about student privacy and accessibility please visit our College Catalog and Student Handbook 7.17 page 87 Or visit FERPA General Guidance for Students at the US Department of Education Control Provisions on Student Records and Student Information.