Student 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 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 a 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 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 campus law enforcement personnel and health staff); 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 a task. A school official also may include a volunteer, a person, or entity outside of the Dallas College with whom the Dallas College has contracted to perform an institutional service or function for which Dallas College would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of Dallas College with respect to the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill the official’s professional responsibility.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Dallas College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA:

   Family Policy Compliance Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20202

Certain information, known as directory information, may be released without the student’s consent. Directory information includes:

• student name;
• home address;
• home telephone number;
• dates of attendance;
• degrees, certificates, other honors and awards received;
• field of study;
• participation in officially-recognized activities;
• weight and height of members of athletic teams;
• student classification;
• email address;
  
• photograph;
• enrollment status, i.e., full-time, part-time;
• the type of award received, i.e., academic, technical, tech-prep, or continuing education; or
• name of the most recent previous institution attended.

Students may request that all or any part of the directory information be withheld from the public by giving written notice to the Registrar’s Office during the first 12 class days of a fall or spring semester or the first four class days of a summer session. Students may protect their directory information at any time du​ring the academic year if they are unable to provide written notice within these time frames.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is the law that protects student records.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is the law that protects student records:

The Admissions/Registrar's offices across Dallas College​ maintain student records.

The seven accredited colleges of Dallas College are part of an equal opportunity system that provides education and employment opportunities without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.