Notification of Rights Under FERPA
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 Morgan Community College (MCC) receives a request for access.
A student should submit to the Student Services Office, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The Registrar 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 Student Services Office, they 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 are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
A student who wishes to ask MCC to amend a record should write the MCC official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.
If MCC decides not to amend the record as requested, MCC will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s 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 provide written consent before MCC discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
MCC discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for 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 as its agent to provide a service instead of using college employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; 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 responsibilities for the college.
Upon request, MCC also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
The Colorado Community College System considers the following to be directory information and MCC staff may disclose this information, without prior consent, to anyone inquiring in person, by phone, or in writing:
– Student name
– Student participation in officially recognized activities and sports
– Student major field of study
– Dates of student attendance
– Degrees / certificates student has earned
– Most recent educational institution attended by the student
Additionally, student names may be released for graduation listings and lists of special awards, honors and events released to the news media.
All other information contained in the student’s education records is considered private and not open to the public without the student’s written consent.
(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 20202-5901
In accordance with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) of 2003, Morgan Community College adheres to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Red Flag Rule (A Red Flag is any pattern, practice, or specific activity that indicates the possible existence of identity theft.), which implements Section 114 of the FACTA and to the Colorado Community College System’s Identity Theft Prevention and Detection Program, which is intended to prevent, detect and mitigate identity theft in connection with establishing new covered accounts or an existing covered account held by the Colorado Community College System (System or CCCS) or one of its thirteen (13) community colleges, and to provide for continued administration of the Program. If a transaction is deemed fraudulent, appropriate action will occur. Action may include, but is not limited to, cancelling of the transaction, notifying and cooperating with law enforcement, reporting to the Student Code of Conduct Office, and notifying the affected parties. For more information on FACTA, Red Flag Rules, and Identity Theft Consumer Information, please see the links provided below.