Confidentiality of Student Records (FERPA)

Cornell College, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), recognizes that the student has a right to expect that information accumulated for the purpose of facilitating his or her education will not be used for other purposes without his or her consent. According to FERPA, all students – regardless of their age – have the legal right to authorize the release of information to individuals or agencies outside the College. The College has adopted the following guidelines to be used in the control, collection, and dissemination of student records.

Section A: General Guidelines for Confidentiality of Student Records 

1. The College may release directory information as a matter of course without the prior consent of the student. Such information comprises the student's name, local and home addresses and telephone numbers, campus e-mail address, date and place of birth (only if the student is currently enrolled), major field of study, enrollment status (FT/PT), participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height (if a member of an athletic team), dates of attendance, academic level, degrees and awards received, the name of the most recent educational institution previously attended, the student's photograph, and the names of the student's parents. Students who do not wish the college to release any or all of the above information must notify the Registrar in writing.
2. When a request for confidential information concerning a student has been made and the student has formally consented to the release of that information, the College is obligated to respond to the inquiring agency. The response will be accurate and in keeping with these guidelines.
3. In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the College may also release personally identifiable information from a student's record to certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and state and local educational authorities, in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs, and to accrediting organizations to carry out their functions. In addition, the College is required to release confidential student information in response to a lawfully issued subpoena or judicial order.
4. Occasionally, the College is asked to make available information about students for research purposes. In releasing original data for research, the College shall take due care to protect the identity of the student. Whenever the limits of confidentiality are in question, the College shall obtain the formal consent of the student prior to using information about him or her for research purposes. Before submitting information from student records to the researchers, the College shall become assured that the research agency will follow acceptable standards of confidentiality.
5. Members of the faculty and administration who in the regular course of their duties need to access students' academic and/or personal records may do so.
6. Each student shall have access to his or her personal folder, academic records, conduct records, and health service file as described in sections B, C, D, and F. The only exception is that statements or letters that were solicited with the guarantee that they would remain confidential, and were placed in the student's file prior toJanuary 1, 1975, and have not been used for purposes other than those for which they were specifically intended, will not be shown to the student.
7. A student or a person applying for admission to Cornell College may waive his or her right of access to confidential statements submitted after Jan. 1, 1975.
   1. Respecting admission to any educational agency or institution;
   2. Respecting an application for employment; and
   3. Respecting the receipt of an honor or honorary recognition.
   Such waiver shall apply to confidential statements only if the student is, upon his/her request, notified of the names of all persons making confidential statements, and such statements are used solely for the purpose for which they were specifically intended. Such waivers may not be required as a condition for admission to, receipt of financial assistance from, or receipt of any other services or benefits from Cornell College. Those who are asked to submit confidential statements shall be notified by the College whether the student has waived his or her right of access.
8. A student has the right to inspect his or her records and to challenge any information contained therein. The College will have a maximum of 45 working days to respond to a request to inspect records. In the event of an unsuccessful challenge, a student has the right to place in his or her file a statement commenting on the contents of that file. These statements may be removed only at the request of the student except for the provision of the destruction of the files as described below.
9. A student shall have the right to obtain copies of his or her records, when failure to provide a copy of the record would prevent the student from inspecting and reviewing the record. If this is done at the student's expense, the cost shall not exceed the actual costs of reproducing such copies. Information on the cost is available from the Registrar's Office.

Section B: Personal Folders

1. A personal record for each student is started at the time of admission and is maintained in the Dean of Students office. This folder contains an application for admission, including biographical information, test scores,copies of all official correspondence, and current addresses of parents, guardians, or spouses. Information on religious and political preferences and activities is voluntary, and only that information voluntarily submitted shall be kept in the folder. These folders do not include confidential counseling records created by any staff member.
2. Information from student records shall not be sent to prospective employers without the formal consent of the student involved. FERPA allows schools to disclose information from a student record, without the student's consent, to other schools to which a student is transferring. The student may waive his or her right of access to confidential statements (see A, 6, above). Individuals asked to write recommendations for a student shall be informed if the student has waived his or her right of access.
3. The College may disclose personally identifiable information from an education record to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. However, when requests of this nature are received and the student's consent cannot be obtained, the institution shall release only the information necessary to fulfill its legal obligation.
4. A periodic evaluation of information placed in student personal records shall be conducted, and only information related to specific purposes of the institution will be collected and maintained. Upon graduation or withdrawal a student's records will be evaluated and all non-pertinent information will be destroyed. Records will then be maintained for a period of five years after graduation or last date of attendance. If a student has requested access to his or her records they will not be destroyed without allowing the student an opportunity to review the information.
5. Information about a student who is being considered for a group membership should be obtained directly from the student.

Section C: Academic Records

1. Information about the academic achievement of a student will be available online to the student and to the student's academic advisor. Academic information may be released to the student's parents or guardian if the student gives permission to release this information.  Permission to release confidential educational records must be provided in writing to the Registrar's office.  Parents may also have access to educational records if they send a notarized copy of the most recent federal income tax form proving that the parent has claimed the student as a dependent.
2. Grade point averages will be released to the groups of which a student is a member or is seeking membership only with the written consent of the individual. The College will indicate only whether or not the student has met minimum standards of the group.
3. The Registrar will at stated intervals submit to the Academic Standing Committee for its determination academic records concerning a student whose achievement has fallen below the minimum standards as outlined in the Catalogue.
4. Academic transcripts will be maintained in perpetuity. Other academic records will be maintained for a period of five years after graduation or withdrawal.

Section D: Student Conduct Records

1. Records of conduct decisions by Cornell College student conduct bodies will be kept by the Dean of Students office. The conduct records are maintained for five years after a student's graduation or last date of attendance.
2. Conduct records are primarily for internal use and shall not generally be made available to persons outside the institution, except upon formal request of the student involved. FERPA allows schools to disclose information from a student conduct record, without the student's consent, to other schools to which a student is transferring. Conduct actions shall not be indicated on academic transcripts. Intra-institutional use shall be restricted to the Dean of Students, administrative hearing officers and members of the Student Conduct and Appeals Boards when necessary to the discharge of their duties.

Section E: Financial Assistance Records

When applying for financial assistance, each student is normally required to submit a Financial Assistance Form. This statement and all other materials pertinent to a student's financial status will be kept in a separate file and shall be available only to those persons working directly with financial assistance. The records will be destroyed upon graduation except those required by law. Information on awards for scholarships, grants, and loans is considered confidential and will not be released to unauthorized persons.

Section G: College Health Service Records

Medical records are privileged. A student will have access to these records, and information based on these records may be released only at the request of the student. Those diseases, conditions, or injuries that a physician is required by law to report would constitute exceptions to this policy.

1. A summary of pertinent information contained in the medical record may be released to designated persons only at the request of the student.
2. A copy of the entrance physical examination and a summary of pertinent information contained in a student's medical record may be sent to other educational institutions upon the request of the student. Such materials may also be sent to prospective employers, other physicians, insurance companies, and other persons or organizations at the request of the student.

Section H: Hearing

A student and his or her parents may request a formal hearing before the Dean of Students to challenge the content of such student's educational records in order to ensure that the records are not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student.