Confidentiality and Privacy Rights

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In the interest of students’ rights and freedoms concerning all aspects of their educational experience, the College will comply with the spirit and intent of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This Act was designated to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings.

Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA) concerning alleged failure by the College to comply with the Act. College policy explains in detail the procedures to be used by the institution for compliance with the provisions of the Act. Questions concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the Registrar's Office.

Your educational record includes any record that is directly related to you and is maintained by CCC or an organization acting on our behalf.

Educational records may include:

  • Written documents, including student advising folders

  • Student files

  • Student system databases kept in storage devices such as servers

Records not considered educational records include:

  • Private notes of individual staff or faculty (not kept in advising folders)
  • Campus police records
  • Medical records (protected under other state and federal laws)
  • Statistical data compilations that contain no mention of personally identifiable information about any specific student

You have a right to know about the purpose, content, and location of information kept as a part of your educational records. You also have a right to expect that information in your educational records will be kept confidential unless you give permission to the school to disclose your information.

Directory information is information contained in your education record which is not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Directory information at CCC includes:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Phone number and e-mail address
  • Date of birth
  • Dates of attendance
  • Degree(s) awarded
  • Honors and awards
  • Enrollment status
  • major field of study
  • Sports

Corning Community College may disclose directory information without your written consent unless you exercise the option to restrict the release by submitting a formal request to the Enrollment Advisement Center. Non-directory information is any educational record not considered directory information. Non-directory information cannot be released without your written consent. Faculty and staff can access nondirectory information only if they have a legitimate academic need to do so.

Non-directory information may include:

  • Social Security numbers
  • Student identification number
  • Race, ethnicity, and/or nationality
  • Gender
  • Transcripts and grade reports
  • Grade point averages

If you provide written consent to CCC to disclose non-directory information, the authorization should include the following:

  • The records to be disclosed
  • The purpose of the disclosure
  • Identify the party to whom the disclosure is to be made
  • The date
  • Your signature

Prior written consent is not required when disclosure is made directly to you or to other school officials within the same institution where there is a legitimate educational interest. A legitimate educational interest may include enrollment or transfer matters, financial aid issues, or information requested by region-al accrediting organizations. You are guaranteed access to your records. You have the right to inspect and review your records upon request. CCC will grant you access to your records within a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed 45 days from the day the request was received. You also have the right to ask CCC to amend your records if you feel it contains inaccurate information.

For more information on FERPA, you can contact the Registrar’s Office registrar@corning-cc.edu or visit the US Department of Education Family Policy Compliance Office website at http://www.ed.gov/ policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html. In addition, Corning Community College is required to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For further information contact the Office of Accessibility Services.