As a student, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives you the right to:

1. Inspect and review your Education Records
   • Types, locations and custodians of records
   • Waivers
   • Records not open to student review
   • Right of the College to refuse to provide copies
   • Fee for copies of records
2. Prevent the College from disclosing personally identifiable information
   • Directory information
   • Consent for disclosure
   • Record of disclosures
3. Request amendment of your Education Records
   • Destruction of Records
4. File a complaint if you believe your rights have been violated

Waivers

When you ask a member of the faculty or administration to write a letter of recommendation to graduate schools or possible employers, you may be asked to sign a waiver to assure the confidentiality of the recommender's observations. If you sign such a waiver, you give up your right to review the recommendation.

Services provided by Career Services may require waivers regarding access to your transcript, resume, letters of recommendation, and other data of natural interest to interviewers. Such services may include aid in securing employment or acceptance to graduate school.

Right of the College to Refuse to Provide Copies

The College of Charleston reserves the right to deny copies if the transcripts or other records if you have an overdue financial obligation to the College of Charleston, or if there is an unresolved disciplinary action against you.

Records Not Open To Student Review

In accordance with FERPA definition of education records, you do not have the right to review the following records:

• Financial records of your parents
• Letters and statements of recommendation for which you have waived your right of access
• Records connected with an application to attend the College of Charleston if that application was denied
• Education records containing information about another student, in which case the College of Charleston will permit access only to that part of the record which pertains to you
• Confidential letters and recommendations placed in your file, to which you have waived your right to inspect and review, and that are related to your admission, application for employment or job placement, or receipt of honors

Fees for Copies of Records

Copies of official academic transcripts cost $5.00, unless mailed by FedEx for an additional $16.00. Copies of other educational records will cost 50¢ per page.

You have the right to request amendment of your education records if you believe they are inaccurate or misleading. You should write to the College of Charleston Registrar, clearly identify the part of the record you want changes, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

The College of Charleston Registrar will reach a decision and inform you in a reasonable amount of time after receiving the request. If your request to amend the record is denied, the College of Charleston Registrar will advise you of your right to file a grievance. You will also be given grievance procedures, detailed on page 32 - 34 of the Student Handbook.

Destruction of Records

Nothing in this policy requires the continued maintenance of any student record for any particular length of time. However, if under the terms of the policy you have requested access to your education record, the record will not be destroyed before the custodian has granted you access.

You have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in your education records, except to the extent that the Act or any superseding law authorizes disclosure without your consent. Other than directory information, the College of Charleston will disclose student education records only with the written consent of the student, except in certain situations where the college retains discretion under FERPA to disclose such records without consent, including the following:

1. To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records, including:
   • To officials of another school in which you have sought or intend to enroll
   • To authorized officials of the following entities, in connection with federal- or state- supported education programs:
     • the U.S. Department of Education
     • the U.S. Comptroller General
     • the U.S. Attorney General
     • state and local educational authorities
2. In connection with a request for a receipt of financial aid, including determining the eligibility, amount or conditions of the financial aid or enforcing the terms and conditions of the aid.
3. To state and local authorities to whom such information is specifically allowed to be reported or disclosed under state law in connection with the juvenile justice system.
4. To organizations conducting certain studies for educational purposes for or on behalf of the College of Charleston.
5. To accrediting organizations, including individuals on visiting committees, to carry out their functions.
6. To parents who claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
7. To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena, provided the College of Charleston makes a reasonable attempt to notify you in advance of compliance (except in certain cases involving grand jury subpoenas) or, when the College is involved in a legal action with a parent or student, where disclosure is to the court, without a court order or subpoena, and is relevant for the College to proceed as plaintiff or to defend itself.
8. To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.
9. To an alleged victim of any crime of violence or non-forcible sexual offense (as defined by FERPA regulations at 34CFR 99.39), the final results of any College disciplinary proceeding with respect to the crime or offense, regardless of whether the College concluded a violation was committed. The final results of such a situation must include only the name of the alleged perpetrator student, the violation committed (rules violated and essential supporting findings), and the sanction imposed (disciplinary action taken, date, and duration).
10. To comply with a court order obtained under the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 for education records considered relevant to a terrorism investigation or prosecution, without advance notice to the student.
11. To disclose to a student's parent information regarding any violation of law or of College rule or policy as to alcohol or controlled substance use or possession, if the student is under the age of 21 at the time of the disclosure and the College determines that such alcohol/drug use or possession constitutes a disciplinary violation.
12. To disclose information provided to the College of Charleston under Section 170101 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14071) concerning registered sex offenders who are required to register under that section.

Directory Information

The College of Charleston designates the following categories of student information as public, or "Directory Information." The College may disclose such information at its discretion.

• Name
• Current enrollment
• Local address
• Permanent address
• Local telephone number
• Campus e-mail address
• Date and place of birth
• Dates of attendance
• Class standing (e.g. sophomore)
• Previous institution(s) attended
• Major field(s) of study
• Awards and honors (e.g. Honor Roll, Dean's List)
• Degree(s) conferred (including dates)
• Full-time or part-time status
• Photographic or videotaped image
• Past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, including fraternities and sororities, and physical factors of athletes (e.g. height, weight)

Examples of information which is not directory information, and which is thus not releasable without advanced student permission, include race, religion, and parent names)

If you are a currently enrolled student, you may withhold disclosure of directory information. To do so, the College of Charleston's Registrar's Office must receive a written notification on a yearly basis. Directory information will be withheld until you release the hold on disclosure, or until the end of the current academic year, whichever comes first.

The College of Charleston will honor a request to withhold directory information. You should understand that, by withholding directory information, some information considered important to students may not reach you.

Consent for Disclosure

Consent for the disclosure of a student's education records must be in writing, signed and dated by the student, specifying the records to be released, the reasons for such release, and to whom the records are to be disclosed.

Record of Disclosures

Except where not required under FERPA regulations (34 CFR 99.33) (e.g. disclosures to parents, disclosures of directory information, disclosures pursuant to court order under the USA PATRIOT Act), the College of Charleston will inform all third parties (anyone outside the College) to whom personal information form a student's education record is released that no further release of such information is authorized without written consent of the student.

You are encouraged to contact the College of Charleston Registrar if you feel your rights have been violated. Under FERPA, you have the right to contact the Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education with a complaint about the College of Charleston's compliance with FERPA.

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 202024605
ferpa@ed.gov