Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Student Privacy Issues

Your student record at Lake City Community College, by law, is a private matter between you and selected LCCC staff members.

Directory Information

We may release Directory Information upon request, unless the student has indicated in writing to the Registrar that he or she does not want this information released.  Directory Information consists of your name, date and place of birth, major, dates of attendance, degrees awarded, honors and awards, participation in officially recognized activities and sports and most recent institution attended.

Make sure that if you do not wish us to make this information available you specify this in writing to the Registrar.

FERPA (what it is and how it protects you)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a Federal law designed to protect the privacy of a student's education records.  The law applies to all schools which receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.  Post-secondary students have certain rights with respect to their educational record.

Post-secondary students have the right to inspect and review their education record(s) maintained by the school.  Schools are not required to provide copies of materials in education records unless, for reasons such as a great distance, it is impossible for students to inspect the records.  Schools may charge a fee for copies.

Post-secondary students have the right to request that a school correct records believed to be inaccurate or misleading.  If the schools decides not to amend the record, the student then has the right to a formal hearing.  After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the post-secondary student has the right to place a statement with the record commenting on the contested information in the record.

Generally schools must have written permission from the post-secondary student before releasing any information from a student's record.  However, the law allows schools to disclose records, without consent, to the following parties:

-School officials who have a need to know (including officials of other schools in accordance with the provisions of articulation agreements with the college);
-Other schools to which a student is transferring;
-Certain government officials in order to carry out lawful functions;
-Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
-Organizations conducting certain studies for the school;
-Accrediting organizations;
-Individuals who have obtained court orders or subpoenas;
-Persons who need to know in cases of health and safety emergencies;
-State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law; and
-Parents who can prove that the student is claimed as a dependent per IRS tax forms.

For More Information

If you have questions about the privacy of your student record, please contact the Registrar at (386) 754-4291 or E-Mail registrar@lakecitycc.edu.

To File a FERPA Complaint

A post-secondary student may file a written complaint regarding an alleged violation under the FERPA act. The address is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC 20202-4605