Student Privacy Rights

Notification of Student Rights Under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that 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 regardless of age.) These rights include:

(1) The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) receives a request for access.

A student should submit to the Director of Admissions, Registration and Records a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The Director 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 Director of Admissions, Registration and Records, the Director will 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 are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student's privacy rights under FERPA.

A student who wishes to ask KVCC to amend a record should write the Director of Admissions, Registration and Records, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, the student will be notified 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.

(3) The right to provide written consent before KVCC discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

Kalamazoo Valley Community College discloses education records without a student's prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit 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. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of KVCC who performs an institutional service or function for which KVCC would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the College with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent, or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks.

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 responsibilities for Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Upon request, KVCC also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled, or as required by federal or state law or by judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena. If information from a student's record is subpoenaed or required by judicial order, a reasonable attempt to notify the student will be made as quickly as possible unless the order or subpoena prohibits such notice.

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by KVCC to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
Phone: 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)
Website: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/file-a-complaint

Students who have questions may contact the Admissions, Registration and Records office by e-mail at arr@kvcc.edu, by calling 269.488.4281, or visiting Room 9140 on the Texas Township Campus.

Release of Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that requires Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), with certain exceptions, to obtain a student's written consent prior to disclosing personally identifiable information from their education records. FERPA also states the College may release information that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy without the student's written consent, unless he or she has requested a confidential hold of this "Directory Information."

KVCC designates the following as directory information: the student's name, address, telephone numbers, and date of birth; major field of study and class level; dates of enrollment; full or part time status; degrees, awards, honors conferred and dates received; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; and previous educational institutions or agencies attended.

The primary purpose of directory information is to allow KVCC to include this type of information from your education records in certain school publications (e.g., academic honors or other recognition lists; graduation programs; and sports activity sheets). It also allows the disclosure of information to outside organizations without a student's prior written consent in response to requests for individual records. Outside organizations generally include, but are not limited to, businesses with which the student has established a relationship such as insurance companies, banks and employers.

In addition to school publications, directory information may also be disclosed in the form of lists to outside organizations without a student's prior written consent. However, KVCC will only do so, at its discretion, with regard to requests from other educational institutions seeking to provide information to KVCC students regarding educational opportunities. KVCC will not release directory information to outside organizations seeking to use such information for non-educational, commercial purposes.

If a student wishes that the College not release his or her directory information, he/she must inform the College in writing by completing a Confidential Hold form in the Admissions, Registration and Records Office. Upon a student's admission to KVCC, directory information becomes available for release, but a student may request at any time after being admitted to the College that his or her directory information be kept confidential.

Note: After the first week of classes in a semester, the College may release directory information regarding enrolled students to third parties. Additionally, the College may release directory information regarding graduates to third parties one month after the end of the semester. Students must provide timely requests to keep their directory information confidential in light of these time frames.

KVCC will not consider releasing confidential information, either verbally or in writing, about applicants or students, unless it is expressly allowed within the act (e.g., directory information), or the student has signed an authorization for release of information.

Documents provided to KVCC from an outside organization or individual are considered the property of KVCC, are intended for the College's use only, and will not be released to the student or anyone else unless compelled to do so by law or court order.

Students who have questions may contact the Admissions, Registration and Records office by e-mail at arr@kvcc.edu, by calling 269.488.4281, or visiting Room 9140 on the Texas Township Campus.