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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Notification of Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution). These rights include:

  • The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day Trocaire College receives a request for access. A student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes 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.

  • The right to request the amendment of any 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 the College to amend a record should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. If Trocaire College decides not to amend the record as requested, the College 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.

  • The right to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

Certain directory information may be released without the student’s consent. Trocaire College designates the following items as Directory Information: student name, address, e-mail address, telephone numbers, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, grade level, name of academic advisor, participation in officially recognized activities, dates of attendance, enrollment status, degrees, date of graduation, honors and awards received, and most recent previous school attended.

A student who wishes to have Directory Information withheld must notify the Registrar’s Office. A form requesting the withholding of Directory Information is available on the FERPA Information Release Form is available on the College website. Trocaire College will assume a student’s failure to request withholding of Directory Information as their consent to the release of this information.

Disclosure Without Consent

FERPA permits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from students’ education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in §99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to school officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, §99.32 of FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the records of disclosures.

A postsecondary institution may disclose personally identifiable information from the education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student for the following purposes:

  • To other school officials, including teachers, within Trocaire College whom the College has determined to have legitimate educational interests. This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the school has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that the conditions listed in §99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(1)-(a)(1)(i)(B)(2) are met. (§99.31(a)(1))

  • To officials of another school where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of §99.34. (§99.31(a)(2))

  • To authorized representatives of the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as a State postsecondary authority that is responsible for supervising the College’s State supported education programs. Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of §99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of personally identifiable information to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf. (§§99.31(a)(3) and 99.35)

  • In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid. (§99.31(a)(4))

  • To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the school, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction. (§99.31 (a)(6))

  • To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions. (§99.31(a)(7)) 39

  • To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes. (§99.31(a)(8))

  • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. (§99.31(a)(9))

  • To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to §99.36. (§99.31(a)(10))

  • Information the school has designated as “directory information” under §99.37. (§99.31(a)(11))

  • To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, subject to the requirements of §99.39. The disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding with respect to that alleged crime or offense, regardless of the finding. (§99.31(a)(13))

  • To the general public, the final results of a disciplinary proceeding, subject to the requirements of §99.39, if the school determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of the school’s rules or policies with respect to the allegation made against him or her. (§99.31(a)(14))

  • To parents of a student regarding the student’s violation of any Federal, State, or local law, or of any rule or policy of the school, governing the use or possession of alcohol, or a controlled substance if the school determines the student committed a disciplinary violation and the student is under the age of 21. (§99.31(a)(15))

The disclosure concerns sex offenders and other individuals required to register under section 170101 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. S

Students have the right to file a written complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Trocaire College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. Complaint forms may be mailed, or online complaint form may be found at https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint .

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