The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. This act, with which the institution intends to comply fully, was designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students also have the right to file complaints with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA) concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the act.
Questions concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the Registrar.
Health & Safety Exemption Requirement
Lackawanna College adheres to all requirements pertaining to the protection of student information. However, there are limited exceptions to FERPA regulations under which Lackawanna College is permitted to disclose education records or personally identifiable, non-directory information from education records in connection with a health or safety emergency without student consent.
The situation must present imminent danger to a student, other students, or members of the school community in order to qualify as an exception. This action is not taken lightly and only under circumstances that present imminent danger.
Notification Of Rights Under The Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act Of 1974 As Amended
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights are as follows:
- 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, Academic Dean, Academic Division Chair, 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 is 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 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 hearing.
- The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, with the exception of information that FERPA authorizes as being open to 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, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as 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 to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. - The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Lackawanna College to comply with the requirement s of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office, U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington D C 20202-4605
Directory Information
Lackawanna College hereby designates the following categories of student information as public or “Directory Information”. Such information may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose, at its discretion.
Category I : Name, address, email address, telephone number, dates of attendance, class, photographic view or electronic images, when such images are taken and utilized within the framework of college business.
Category II : Previous institution(s) attended, major field of study, awards, Honors, degree(s) conferred (including dates).
Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of any category of information under the Family Educational Rights Act of 1974. If a student wishes to withhold disclosure of directory information, written notification of this intent must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Forms requesting the withholding of “Directory Information” are available in the Registrar’s Office.
Lackawanna College assumes that failure on part of any student to specifically request the withholding of categories of “Directory Information” indicates approval for disclosure.
Lackawanna College students may be assured that even with their permission; Directory Information is only disclosed to non-institution persons or entities with professional discretion.
Lackawanna College is a private, non-profit educational institution. Degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Lackawanna College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative-Action educational institution.