Privacy of Student Records

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

1. 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 Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar 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 Registrar, the Registrar shall advise the student of the correct college official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe 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 their 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.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorized 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 employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including Campus Police personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; SUNY System Administration; 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 discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

The College designates the following as directory information and will release it without prior written consent, unless the student has informed the Registrar in writing during the annual notification period* that they do not want their directory information released. The directory information includes:

• Legal Name
• Address
• Telephone Number
• Photograph or Likeness
• Date and Place of Birth
• College-assigned email address
• Major Field of Study
• Participation in Officially Recognized Activities and Sports
• Weight and Height of Members of Athletic Teams
• Dates of Attendance at FLCC
• Degrees, Certificates and Awards Received
• Eligibility for Honor Societies
• Most Recent Previous Educational Agency or Institution Attended by the Student
• Dean's List Qualification
• Solomon Act – Military Access to Education Records**

*The annual notification period is from the start of the Fall semester through October 15. New students entering after the Fall semester must notify the Registrar within 3 weeks of the start of the semester that they do not want their directory information released. While students are attending FLCC they must file the notification to withhold directory information annually during the Fall semester. Forms for this purpose are available from the Registrar's Office. Students have the right to restrict disclosure/release of directory information to third-parties. Forms for this purpose are available from the Registrar or the One Stop Center.

** The Solomon Amendment (10 U.S.C. §982:32 C.F.R. 216.65 F.R. 2056) is not a part of FERPA, but it allows military organizations access to information ordinarily restricted under FERPA for the purpose of military recruiting. Specifically, the Solomon Amendment permits the Department of Defense entities to physically access institutional facilities to recruit students, and to obtain students' names, addresses, phone numbers, age, class, and degree program once every term. The Solomon Amendment only applies to enrolled students over age 17.

Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Finger Lakes Community College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

U.S. Department of Education
Student Privacy Policy Office
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202