FERPA and Directory Information

Notification of Rights Under FERPA
The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.

Rights:
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, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official written requests that identify 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 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. Grades, or an evaluation in lieu of grades, cannot be appealed through FERPA. 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 is contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorized 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 an attorney, auditor, the National Student Loan Clearinghouse, or a 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.

Note: Information also cannot be disclosed to a parent or guardian without either written permission from the student or proof that the student was claimed as a dependent on the most recent federal income tax form.

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

Office of the Chief Privacy Officer
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-8520

Directory Information
FERPA permits release of "directory information" without authorization unless the student notifies the Registrar's Office
in writing and within the first two weeks of a semester of a specific request that the College not release such information. Directory information includes a student's:

• Name
• Month, day, and place of birth
• Major field of study
• Full or part-time status
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Dates of attendance
• Degrees, honors, and awards received
• Most recent previous educational agency or institution attended
• Photographs, video, or web image of the individual or campus scenes including the individual in College publications, promotional materials, or on the website
• Weights and heights of members of athletic teams may also be released

Gordon College's Privacy Policy
Allows access by members of the Gordon community for official on-campus use only to the following information:

• Current and permanent addresses
• Telephone listings
• E-mail addresses
• Class schedule and
• Listing on class roster

All other personal data is restricted to only Gordon faculty, staff and student workers, pursuant to their College responsibilities, or to contractual agents of the College, such as an attorney, auditor, the National Student Clearinghouse, or a collection agent.

Specific nondisclosure requests should be in writing, addressed, and delivered to the Registrar's Office:

Registrar's Office
Gordon College
255 Grapevine Road
Wenham, MA 01984

p: 978.867.4243
f: 978-86704659
e: [email protected]