Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records, establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records and provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate and misleading data through informal and formal hearings. As a student at Bronx Community College, it is imperative to understand your rights under FERPA:
- To inspect your academic records, submit a written request to the Registrar’s Office that clearly identifies the record(s) to be inspected.
- All requests will be granted or denied in writing by the Registrar’s Office. If the request is granted, you will be notified of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the request is denied, you may appeal to the Registrar’s Office and additional information regarding the appeal procedures will be provided in writing.
- Students may ask the college to amend a record if it is inaccurate or misleading. To make such a request, you should write to the college official in the Registrar’s Office and clearly identify the part of the record that you want to change and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
- If the College decides not to amend the record, you will be notified of the decision in writing. The College will also provide additional information on your right to a hearing before the college official.
- Upon request, Bronx Community College is permitted under FERPA to authorize disclosure of PII without consent of a student to college officials with legitimate educational interests.
- A college official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position; a person or company with whom the University has contracted; 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 college official in performing his or her tasks.
- As a student, you have 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.
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students are generally entitled to review their education records. Additionally, written consent is typically required before disclosing personally identifiable information to third parties. These guidelines provide detailed information on these requirements, important exceptions, definitions, procedures, and the annual notification of student rights.
FERPA Form (Access to Educational Records)
Students who wish to grant third parties, including parents, access to educational records maintained by the student’s college should use this form, which requires a date and signature. Electronic signatures are acceptable only if the College is able to identify and authenticate the student as the source of the release.
You may use this form to appeal your college’s denial of your earlier appeal for access to your student records or any other alleged denial of FERPA rights. You must appeal within 30 days of the date of the college’s denial by completing this form and sending it to:
General Counsel and Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs
The City University of New York
205 East 42nd Street
New York, New York 10017
Email: ogc@cuny.edu
