Academic Records/Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. Those rights are as follows:

  • Students have the right to request to review their educational records. Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the privacy rights of the student.
    • Students should submit written requests specifying the records they wish to inspect to the Registrar’s Office. The office will then arrange access and notify the student of the time and location where the records can be reviewed, within 45 days of receiving the initial request.
    • If the College determines not to amend the record as requested by the student, it will inform the student of the decision and explain their right to request a hearing. The student will receive further details about the hearing procedures along with the notification of their right to a hearing.

Some of the more common exceptions to FERPA rights are as follows:

  • A “school official”
    • includes a teacher, school principal, president, chancellor, board member, trustee, registrar, counselor, admissions officer, attorney, accountant, human resources professional, information systems specialist, and support or clerical personnel. FERPA regulations are found at 34 CFR Part 99.  
  • FERPA (§ 99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)) permits schools to outsource institutional services or functions that involve the disclosure of education records to contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other third parties.
  • Disclosures to parents of dependent children.
    • A student is a minor dependent student if they can be claimed as a dependent on the tax return of a parent, guardian, or another individual. However, the College will check with the student before releasing information to parents or guardians.
  • To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena. 
  • In connection with a health or safety emergency.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave. S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

Annual Notification of FERPA Rights

The College will annually notify eligible students of their rights under FERPA. The notification will include information regarding the right to inspect, review, and seek amendment of their academic records, the right to redact consent to disclose personally identifiable information, and share information regarding how to file grievances with the Student Privacy Policy Office. 

Notification of Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that Dunwoody College of Technology, with certain exceptions, obtain written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records. However, Dunwoody College of Technology may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless you have advised the College to the contrary in accordance with the institution’s procedures.

For ineligible students (under 18 and/or a dependent), directory information, which is information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released, can also be disclosed to outside organizations without a parent’s prior written consent.

If you do not want Dunwoody College of Technology to disclose any or all of the types of information designated below as directory information from your education records without your prior written consent, you may notify the Registrar’s Office by completing a Consent to Release Education Records form (Dunwoody credentials are required to access the form).

Dunwoody has designated the following information as directory information:

  •  Name
  •  Dates of enrollment and registration status
  •  Major and class level
  •  Academic awards/honors received and degrees received

Student Records Access

Access within the Institution 

Within the Institution, all employees with a demonstrated need to know will be granted access to student academic information. Some employees will have access to all information, and others to limited sets of information. Employees with a need to know would include, but are not limited to:

  • Advisors
  • Instructors
  • Department data managers
Access to outside agencies

Outside agencies acting on behalf of the Institution, the US Department of Education, authorized lending institutions, and accrediting agencies have access to specific student information. This access is governed by contracts and specific regulations.