Student Right to Know Information

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

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the college receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The college official 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 college official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate. Students may ask the college to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate. They should write the college official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate. If the college decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the college will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of 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. The right 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 the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the college has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Tennessee Board of Regents or Board of Regents staff; 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.

Upon request, the college discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which the student seeks or intends to enroll.

4. 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:

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

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law, requires that Northeast State, with certain exceptions, obtain a student’s written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from higher education records. However, Northeast State may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless the student has advised Northeast State to the contrary in accordance with Northeast State procedures. FERPA applies to all students regardless of the delivery method (i.e., hybrid, Internet, Telecourse, etc.). The primary purpose of directory information is to allow Northeast State to include this type of information from a student’s education records in certain college publications (such as an honor roll or other recognition lists, graduation programs, etc.).

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 the student’s prior written consent.

If a student does not want Northeast State to disclose directory information from his/her education records without prior written consent, he/she must notify Northeast State by completing a Non-Release of Directory Information form. This form is available in the Admissions and Records Office. A new form must be completed each academic year. Northeast State has designated the following information as directory information:

• Student’s name
• Address
• Telephone listing
• Electronic mail address
• Photograph
• Degrees, honors, and awards received
• Date and place of birth
• Major field of study
• Dates of attendance
• Classification
• The most recent educational agency or institution attended
• Enrollment status

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Northeast State Community College operates in compliance with the provisions of the United States Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Public Law 110-315 concerning the verification of student identity in distance learning. 

All students at Northeast State, including those enrolling in online and/or other distance learning courses for academic credit, receive a unique login credential for initial access to Desire2Learn, the College’s secure course management system. Additionally, students enrolling in Regents Online Degree Program (RODP) courses through Northeast State receive a unique login credential for accessing RODP’s Desire2Learn portal. Data transmission of all Desire2Learn login information is secured using appropriate encryption technology.

Moreover, Northeast State Internet courses feature an added layer of verification in that students meet in person with an instructor periodically throughout the academic term. The College’s Internet faculty continually work with academic deans, the Director of Academic/Instructional Technology , and campus review committees to develop and implement methods to ensure the quality and integrity of Northeast State Internet courses. Some of these approaches include, but are not limited to, such assessment methods/tools as research and writing assignments, quizzes, discussion board participation, and independent and/or group projects.

It should be noted, Northeast State students are not charged additional fees to cover the cost of identity verification and authorization for a Northeast State Internet course or any other Northeast State distance learning course.