252.00 STUDENT RECORDS

The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Schools must have written permission from the student in order to release any information from a student’s record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):

• School officials with legitimate educational interest;
• Other schools to which a student is transferring;
• Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
• Appropriate parties concerning financial aid to a student;
• Organizations conducting certain studies for, or on behalf of, the school;
• Accrediting organizations;
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
• Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
• State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law.

According to this law, Cowley is NOT allowed to release information to parties such as family members, employers, etc. If a student wishes to authorize the release of information such as educational,financial aid, or billing information to third parties not covered under this law, a Release of Information Form must be signed by the student and kept on file in the Registrar’s Office. A Release of Information Form will be valid for only one semester. A student must file a new Release of Information Form with the Registrar’s Office for each semester they wish to authorize the release of information. According to this law, schools MAY DISCLOSE WITHOUT CONSENT the following directory information about students:

• Name;
• Address;
• Telephone number;
• Date and place of birth;
• Major field of study;
• Participation in officially recognized activities;
• Sports—weight and height of an athletic team member;
• Dates of attendance;
• Degrees;
• Awards received; and
• Most recent previous educational institution attended.

If you object to the disclosure of any of the directory information listed above, you may notify the Registrar’s Office, in writing, of the items that should not be released without your consent. A student must submit notification within the first three (3) weeks of a semester. Please be aware that if a student chooses to block disclosure of this information, the college will not release this information to ANY party, including the National Student Loan Clearinghouse. If you are a dependent student under 18 years of age, parents will have access to your educational record. The college will assume you are a dependent if parents provide a written statement and verification that you are listed as a dependent on their federal income tax forms. A student has the right to file a complaint if the college fails to comply with the requirements of this law. A copy of the college’s policy may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. If Cowley closes, access to academic and financial records will be kept on file with the Kansas Board of Regents. The college will assist current students in researching and locating an institution that meets their academic progress needs.

In addition to the above stated policies the following general provisions shall apply:

1. Permanent Academic Records, from which official transcripts are prepared, shall be stored in a fire-proof vault or in fire-proof cabinets.
2. At the earliest possible date following the annual state audit, the College shall microfilm all records of students who were registered for the past academic term and shall store such microfilmed records in a safety deposit box.

Adopted January 18, 1971
Revised July 15, 1974
Reviewed July 11, 1989
Revised July 21, 2003