Privacy Rights Of Students

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

  1. To inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Skyline College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Dean of Enrollment Services’ Office written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Dean of Enrollment Services 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 Dean of Enrollment Services’ Office, the student shall be advised of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
  2. To request an amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate. Students may ask Skyline College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the Dean of Enrollment Services, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If Skyline College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the student shall be notified of the decision and advised as to 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.
  3. To consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes 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 Skyline College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom Skyline 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 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. As allowed within FERPA guidelines, Skyline College may disclose education records without consent to officials of another school, upon request, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
  4. To file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Skyline College to comply with the requirements 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, DC, 20202-4605. At its discretion, Skyline College may provide Directory Information in accordance with the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. Directory Information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Designated Directory Information at Skyline College may include the following: address, telephone number, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, final theses/dissertation, photograph, full-time/part-time status, and most recent previous school attended. Students may withhold Directory Information by notifying the Registrar in writing; please note that such withholding requests are binding for all information to all parties other than for those exceptions allowed under the Act. Students should consider all aspects of a Directory Hold prior to filing such a request. Although the initial request must be filed during the first two weeks of the enrollment period, requests for non-disclosure will be honored by the College for no more than one academic year. Reauthorization to withhold Directory Information must be filed annually in the Registrar’s Office within the first two weeks of any semester.

The Solomon Act requires colleges to release full directory information to the U.S. Armed Forces.

A copy of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Sec. 438, P.L. 93-380) is available in the Office of Admissions Records, Building 2, Student Services Center, during normal business hours or on the web.