Records

CVCC maintains information about students that enhances their educational development and the effective administration of the College. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 defines the rights of the student with regard to records and other information that may be maintained and/or released. To guarantee the rights of privacy and access provided by this Act, CVCC has adopted the following policies and procedures.

Definition of Records

For the purposes of this policy, a student’s educational records are defined as: files, documents and other materials that contain information directly related to a student and are maintained by the College or a person acting on behalf of the College. Specifically excluded from the definition of “educational records” and not open to inspection by students are the following materials:

1. Records of instructional, supervisory, and administrative personnel that are in the sole possession of the maker and accessible only to the maker or a designated assistant to the maker.
2. Records of campus security except when they have been transmitted within the College for administrative purposes.
3. Records created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or para-professional acting in a professional or para-professional capacity or assisting in that capacity and which are created, maintained, or used only in connection with the provision of diagnosis or treatment to the student and are not available to anyone other than the persons providing such treatment or to such other persons as may be authorized in writing by the student to receive such information from such records.

Directory Information

A student has the right to have his/her name and directory information concerning him/her omitted from any directory published and distributed on or off campus. Directory information consists of: name, address, date and place of birth, telephone number, honors and awards and dates attended. Much of this information is routinely published by the College.

When a student requests that any part of his/her directory information be withheld, all directory information concerning him/her will be omitted from all publications. Students desiring to have any directory information withheld must submit a written request to the Admissions Office. The request must be renewed each academic year. Information from records, files or data directly related to a student other than “directory” information will not be disclosed to anyone outside the College without written consent from the student except pursuant to a lawful court order, in a case in which education or government officials have an educational or lawful need for information or as otherwise specifically authorized by the Act. However, information contained in such records may be disclosed within the College to officials and staff members who need that particular information. Students have access to all such information about themselves with the exceptions outlined in this policy statement.

Release of Student Records

In compliance with and pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, a student’s records will not be released by College personnel except with written consent from the student, a written request in the form of a court order, and/or as otherwise expressly provided in the Act.

If a student wishes to have such records released or reviewed by a third party, the student must submit a written consent to the proper records official and in such consent, specify the records to be released or reviewed, the person or persons to whom records are to be released or by whom the records are to be reviewed, and if desired, a request for copies of the respective records to be made available to the student. After receipt of such written consent, CVCC will then grant appropriate access to the information to the party or parties designated by the student. A service fee will be charged for producing photocopies of records that are requested to be copied by the student or by the person to whom the student gives permission to request photocopies.

Each student’s file will contain a record of all requests for access to the file, the name of each person making a request for information from the file, the agency or institution represented by each person making a request and the action taken by the records official in response to the request. However, such a record will not necessarily be kept for requests made by CVCC officials who have a need for access to the respective student file. An inspection of individual student records will be supervised by the appropriate records official and the student’s record file will not be removed from the designated records official’s office.

Inspection of Student Records

Each student may inspect files and data primarily related to the respective student in the presence of the appropriate records official records. To inspect his/her file, a student should go to the office of the appropriate records officials (either the Admissions Office, Financial Aid Office or Office of the Dean of Students and Campus Services) and submit a written request. If the student cannot personally appear, the student must submit a notarized request to the appropriate records official. College personnel who have knowledge of the individual’s record will be present to explain the contents of the file.

After receiving a written request from a student to review his/her College record, the records official will arrange, as promptly as is reasonably possible (not to exceed 45 days), a time when the records may be reviewed in the presence of appropriate College personnel. The student is not permitted to remove the file or remove any of its contents for purposes of reproducing materials within the file unless permission is granted by the records official. To review a file, the student must present proper identification and complete appropriate form(s) certifying that he/ she has requested to review his/her records and that CVCC has complied with the request. If in the opinion of the appropriate records official, inspection can reasonably be accomplished by providing copies of documents, such copies will be made and provided to the student.

The student may obtain an unofficial copy of his/her academic record without charge with a written request to CVCC. An unofficial copy is defined as a copy that does not bear the official seal of the College but is otherwise a true copy. Records officials will not photocopy or otherwise reproduce copies of student transcripts or other information obtained from transfer students pursuant to official transfer requirements.