Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The method with which Mississippi Delta Community College governs the distribution of student information is based on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 or FERPA. This Act, as amended, established the requirements governing the privacy of student educational records in regards to the release of those records and access to those records. This Act is also known as the Buckley Amendment.

The Act gives four basic rights to students:

• the right to review their education records;
• the right to seek to amend their education records;
• the right to limit disclosure of personally identifiable information (directory information);
• and the right to notify the Department of Education concerning an academic institution's failure to comply with FERPA regulations.

Students who wish to waive these rights to a parent or guardian must fill out the appropriate form in the Office of Admissions. FERPA provides for confidentiality of student records; however, it also provides for basic identification of people at Mississippi Delta Community College without the consent of the individual. Release of information to third parties includes the student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, dates of attendance, degrees received, honors and awards earned, the most recent educational agency attended by the student, and other similar information. Mississippi Delta Community College will release directory information unless notified by written request in the Office of Admissions within the first two weeks after the student registers. A complete copy of this policy is located in the Office of Admissions. Students are notified of their FERPA rights and the procedures for limiting disclosure of directory information in the Student Handbook and annual emails.

FERPA Form: Consent to Release Information