Notification of Students’ Rights Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
 

The FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.

They are:

The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day Rock Valley College’s Records & Registration office receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Records & Registration office written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The college 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 the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask Rock Valley College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. 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 or misleading. If Rock Valley 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 his or her 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 consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information (not “Directory 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 law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the college has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); 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 his or her task. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Rock Valley College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

Notice of Public Student Information
 

Rock Valley College has designated the following categories of student information as public or directory information:

• First and last name
• Dates of attendance
• Part-time/full-time enrollment status
• Degrees/certificates earned
• Awards received
• Participation in officially recognized activities
• College-assigned e-mail address
• Height and weight of athletic participants

Such information may be disclosed by the college for any purpose at its discretion. However, the student may withhold disclosure by filing written notification with the college.

Information may be withheld by filing written notification with the Records & Registration office, located on the second floor of the Student Center, prior to the tenth day of classes each semester. Forms requesting the withholding of categories of directory information are available in the Records & Registration office. 

Rock Valley College assumes that failure on the part of any student to specifically request the withholding of directory information indicates approval of disclosure.

Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Information (MHA)
 

Pursuant to Illinois’ Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Information Act, a student has the right to authorize the college, in writing, to disclose his or her private mental health information to a person of the student’s choosing by filling out a FERPA Authorization Form and returning it to the Records and Registration office.  For additional information, please contact the Records and Registration Office or visit this web page.  

Please be advised that, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g and its regulations at 34 CFR § 99.36, the college may disclose a student’s private information to persons who need to know that information in the event of or to avert a health or safety emergency, even if those persons have not been designated by the student on his or her Student Optional Disclosure of Private Mental Health Information Act.