Please read this information carefully:
The following policy is designed to inform you how your educational information can be used and shared as well as to communicate to you how you can gain access to this information.
FERPA gives students who reach the age of 18 or who attend a postsecondary institution the right to inspect and review their own Educational Records. Furthermore, students have other rights, including the right to request amendment of records and to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from these records.
Our Commitment
Central understands that your educational and financial information is private. Central is committed to protecting your privacy by ensuring the confidentiality of your personal information. An “educational record” means any information recorded in any way, including handwritten, print, computer media, video or audio tape, film, photographs, microfilm, or microfiche, that are directly related to a student and maintained by the institution or by a party acting for the institution.
By law we must:
- keep your educational and financial information private
- give you this policy outlining our legal duties and practices
- follow the terms of the policy in effect at the current time
Who will have access to your information?
Central will allow access to your educational information to the following individuals who have a legitimate educational or administrative interest in your records.
- Office of the President
- Office of the VP of Academics
- Office of the Registrar
- Office of the Director of Admissions
- Office of the Financial Aid Director
- Office of the VP of Business & Finance
- Office of the Director of Information Systems
- Office of the VP of Student Development
- Faculty, Faculty Advisors, the Athletic Director, and other school officials who have a legitimate, educational interest.
Central will allow access to your financial records to the following individuals:
- Office of the Financial Aid Director
- Office of the President
- Office of the VP of Business & Finance
- Office of the Registrar
- Office of the Director of Information Systems
- Office of the VP of Student Development
- Office of the Account Manager
- Office of the VP of Institutional Advancement
- Office of the VP of Academics
By law, Central is also required to make your information available to the following agencies and individuals involved in conducting any audit, program review, investigation, or other review authorized by law:
- An independent auditor
- Secretary of the US Department of Education
- Inspector General of the Department of Education
- Comptroller General of the United States
- Attorney General of the United States
- Association of Biblical Higher Education
- State and Local Officials
- Alleged victim of a crime
- Parent of a dependent student as defined by the IRS
- Parent of a dependent or independent student under 21 regarding the violation of a law regarding alcohol or drug abuse
By law (except for the individuals and agencies requesting access or disclosure of your information in the proceeding lists) we must:
- keep a record of each request for access to your information
- keep a record of every disclosure of information
- all records will be retained for 5 years after the last date of attendance
Your Financial Aid Information
The Financial Aid Office is charged to make sure you have all your financial aid in place at the time of registration. Your signature on a loan request, a FAFSA form, or other presentation of scholarship information to the Financial Aid Office by the student or organization to process, constitutes consent for the Financial Aid Office to release personally, educational, and financial information to those organizations or individuals to process said Financial Aid. You as a student do not have the right to view your parent’s financial information included in your FAFSA or sent for verification requests.
What are your rights to your records?
You may make a written request of Central to review your student records. Central must provide you with your records within 45 days of the request. If you request copies of your records, Central may charge a fee for the cost of copying, mailing, or other related supplies.
You may also request an amendment to your records. Central retains the right to deny your request for any reason.
You may request a hearing in the event your request for an amendment is denied to challenge the contents of the education records, on the grounds that the records are inaccurate, misleading, or violate the rights of the student. You must make this request in writing and submit the request the Registrar of the college. The decision from the hearing committee will be final.
What are your rights concerning the Student Directory?
You have the right to consent to, or withhold disclosure of, personally identifiable information. This includes the right to refuse the release of directory information without your written consent. Central’s directory information includes your full name, your Central email address, telephone number, photograph, major field of study, college honors, degrees awarded, enrollment status, and your grade level, degrees, honors, and awards received; and the most recent educational agency or institution attended.
In addition, Directory Information includes participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams.
If you do not wish your directory information to be included, you will have the opportunity at each semester’s registration period to indicate that you do not want your information included in the Student Directory. In addition, at any time you may contact the Registrar’s office requesting that your information no longer be disclosed.
Central will not disclose the directory information of a former student if the student opted out of the disclosure while the student was in attendance. The option to opt-out may be rescinded in writing by the former student.
A student’s decision to opt out of directory information disclosures does not prevent a school from identifying a student by name or from disclosing a student’s electronic identifier or institutional email address in class. It does not include a right to remain anonymous in class, and may not be used to impede routine classroom communications and interactions.
It is also the policy of Central that it will release Student Directory information to outside organizations or individuals if their inquiries are related to course work, such as SALT, and internships. Enrollment verification information will be released to organizations or individuals that have a legitimate request for the information. The legitimacy of the request will be determined at the discretion of the individual or department receiving the request.
Requests from Third Party Disclosure of Educational Records
It is the policy of Central not to release third party requests to view your educational records without your written consent except for the exceptions listed above. You may go to the Student Service Office to obtain a consent form to add or remove someone from your disclosure list.
Records that are Subpoenaed
If your records are subpoenaed by a law enforcement or court, Central will make a reasonable effort to contact the student by phone or by email in order that the parent or eligible student may seek protective action. If the student does not respond, or the student cannot be contacted, Central will comply with the court order. If the court order stipulates that Central is to comply with the request for information without informing the student, Central will comply.
Privacy & Timely Warning Law
Privacy laws does not preclude Central’s compliance with the timely warning requirements set forth in the Campus Security/Clery Act and takes precedence over FERPA requirements. Therefore, Central can make a timely warning report to the campus community on criminal activity, and even if Central discloses the identity of an individual the school has not violated the Privacy Policy.
Records of a disciplinary action or proceeding are considered education records of a student, and cannot be made available to the public without the consent of the student except for the following circumstances.
- The final results of disciplinary proceedings to anyone if the violation was a crime of violence or a non forcible sexual offense, and the school concludes that a violation of the institutions’ rules or policies did occur.
- The final results of a disciplinary proceeding to the victim of a crime of violence or a non forcible sexual offense, when the proceeding was in reference to that crime, that school may disclose the result of the proceeding, regardless of whether the school concluded that a violation was committed.
- If the student has violated any Federal, State, or local law, or any rule of policy of the institution, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance, if the institution determines that the student has committed a disciplinary violation regarding that use or possession and the student is a dependent or independent student under the age of 21 at the time of the disclosure.
- If Central determines that there is a real and significant threat to the health or safety of a student or other individuals, we may disclose information from educational records to appropriate parties whose knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student of other individuals. This includes parents of an eligible student and/or law enforcement personnel.
Sex Offenses
Information provided by the State of Missouri concerning registered sex offenders is provided to the College by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and is available in the College Student Services department. It is also available directly from the Sheriff’s Office located at 223 N. Williams, Moberly, MO 65270 (660-263-0095).
For a more complete look at the College’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, please refer to the current Crime Report located on Central’s website at Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.
Students’ Rights After Ceasing Attendance or Graduating
Students who have ceased attendance or have graduated from an institution of higher education have basically the same FERPA rights as students currently attending the college, including the right to:
- Inspect their Educational Records
- Have a hearing to amend an education record, and
- Have their education privacy protected by the institution.
References for Students by Faculty
FERPA’s prohibition on disclosure of personally identifiable information from an educational record of a student applies to any kind of non-directory information (e.g., performance in class, grades, attitude, motivation, abilities, background) conveyed in writing, in person, or over the telephone to third parties. Central’s Faculty members are required to have a written, or verbal request from the student, past or present, before providing references for employment or educational purposes.
Violation & Complaints of Student’s Rights
If, at any time you feel your FERPA rights have been violated, please contact Dr. Eric Stevens, Academic Dean, to lodge your complaint.
Complaints regarding violations of a student’s rights under the Act may also be filed with:
The Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education,
600 Independence Avenue SW
Washington DC 20202-4605.
You may also call (202) 260-3887. Persons filing complaints with the US Department of Education under FERPA must have legal standing. A complainant must be a parent or eligible student affected by alleged violations. This is consistent with other laws affording specific rights to persons.