Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Office of the Registrar (Records Office) is the office authorized to release student information. The office adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regarding release of student information. Students who do not want directory information released should contact the Student Records Office and complete a form for non-release of directory information.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, prescribes the conditions under which information about students can be released. It is the policy of Midlands Technical College to follow those guidelines to protect the privacy of students. The following student rights are covered by the Act and afforded to all eligible students of the college:

  1. The right to inspect and review information in the student's educational records.
  2. The right to request amendment of the contents of the student's educational records if believed to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy or other rights.
  3. The right to prevent disclosure without consent, with certain exceptions, of personally identifiable information from the student's informational records.
  4. The right to secure a copy of the college's policy
  5. The right to file complaints with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the provisions of the Act.

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 20202-5901

Each of these rights, with any limitations or exceptions, is explained in the college's policy statement, which may be received from the Registrar's Office.

Requests for directory information are to be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar (Records Office). Midlands Technical College considers name, address, telephone number, photograph and video, dates of attendance, class, previous institution attended, major field of study, awards, honors and degree conferred to be directory information. Directory information may be released by the college under conditions compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Students who wish to request nondisclosure of the above items may complete a Nondisclosure Form available from the Student Records Office on either campus.

The college can allow access to student records, without student permission, as follows: the College’s administrative staff, instructors and counselors for educational related reasons; federal, state and governmental entities; organizations conducting studies for educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating or administering predictive tests; and court orders. The VP Student Development Services and Office of the Registrar are authorized to determine release of directory and non-directory information.