FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Montreat College abides by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, Sec. 438, PUB. L90-247, as amended, which sets forth requirements for the protection of students’ rights to privacy in their educational records and gives them the right to inspect such records to seek correction of errors. This statement serves as notice to all students of their rights under the law.

Your personal information is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the federal law that governs the release of and access to student education records. Your non-directory information (such as grades, social security number, billing, and financial aid information) may not be released without your prior consent.

FERPA Selection

Please visit our FERPA Selection page to identify your student information privacy preferences.

Go to the FERPA authorization report in myInfo
Under “Selection,” click “Edit”
Follow the on-screen directions to select “List,” “Directory,” or “Decline”
Click “Update Selection”

If you select “List”: Share your information with specific people

Choose this option if you want the College to speak with specific people (such as a parent, spouse, or other trusted individual) about your educational records.

You’ll enter the names of the people you want to authorize and create a Personal Identification Phrase (PIP). Anyone you authorize must provide this phrase before College staff can discuss your information with them.

If you select “Directory”: Allow the College to release basic directory information

Choose this option if you are comfortable with the College sharing basic information that FERPA allows schools to designate as directory information, such as your enrollment status, major, degrees earned, or honors received. This information may be shared without your written permission.

This does not allow the College to release grades, financial aid information, billing information, or other non-directory educational records.

If you select “Decline”: Keep your directory information private

Choose this option if you do not want the College to release your directory information to anyone outside the College without your written permission.

This option is often used by students with privacy or safety concerns. Restricting the release of directory information may limit the College’s ability to verify your enrollment or degree to employers, scholarship organizations, or other third parties unless another FERPA exception applies or you provide written consent.

This restriction does not prevent the College from making disclosures that are required or authorized by law, including reporting information to federal and state agencies for the administration of financial aid programs.

Definition of Terms

FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended.

Student: Any person who either attends or has attended Montreat College.

Educational Records: Records that are directly related to a student and maintained by Montreat College or by a party acting on the College’s behalf. Educational records may exist in any format, including paper, electronic records, emails, audio or video recordings, photographs, and other media. The location of a record does not determine whether it is an educational record. Records maintained by the Registrar, Student Financial Services, Student Life, academic departments, faculty, or other College offices may all be educational records if they meet FERPA’s definition.

Records that are not Educational Records

Sole Possession Records: Personal notes or records kept by a College official that are used only as a personal memory aid, remain in the sole possession of the maker, and are not shared with anyone except a temporary substitute.
Employment Records: Records relating exclusively to an individual’s employment with Montreat College, provided the employment is not contingent upon the individual’s status as a student.
Law Enforcement Records: Records created and maintained by the Montreat College Campus Safety or Security Office solely for law enforcement purposes. These records are not educational records unless they are shared with another College office and maintained as part of a student’s educational record.
Healthcare Records: Records made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in that capacity, or assisting in that capacity, that are created, maintained, or used only in connection with providing treatment to a student.
Alumni Records: Records created or received after an individual is no longer a student that relate solely to the individual as an alumnus or alumna and not to the individual as a student.
Applicant Records: Records relating to an individual who has applied for admission but has never attended Montreat College are not educational records under FERPA.

Annual Student Notification

Students are notified of their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as well as the procedures for indicating their FERPA release preferences, through the annual Montreat College Catalog. Additionally, students receive an email around the Fall Census Day outlining the College’s FERPA policy and explaining how to review or update their FERPA release preferences.

Procedure for Student Inspection/Review of Records

Students have the right to inspect and review their education records by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar. Requests should reasonably identify the records to be reviewed. The College will respond within forty-five (45) days of receiving the request, as required by FERPA. Student identity must be verified before access is granted.

Records will be made available for inspection on campus during normal business hours. If a student’s circumstances effectively prevent an in-person review, the student may request copies. The College will determine the appropriate method of access, which may include paper or secure electronic copies.

Please note the following:

Certain information may be redacted or withheld as permitted by FERPA
Documents from other institutions, including transcripts, will not be provided.
Montreat transcripts can be requested online.

Montreat College Right to Refuse Access Policy

Montreat College reserves the right to refuse to permit a student to inspect these records:

Any financial records of the parent that may be in the student’s file.
Letters of recommendation for which the student has waived his/her right of access.
Admission records if the student’s application was denied or the student chose not to attend Montreat College after making application.
Records excluded from FERPA’s definition of educational records.

Schedule of Fees for Copies

The fee for copies of educational records is $.10 per page, plus postage if applicable.

Disclosure of Educational Records Policy

Montreat College will disclose information from a student’s educational record only with the written consent of the student, except in the following instances:

To school officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the records. A school official is:
- A person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position.
- A person elected to the Board of Trustees.
- A person employed by or contracted to Montreat College for a special task, such as an attorney or auditor.
- Legitimate educational interest includes:
- Performing a task that is specified in a position description or by a contract agreement.
- Performing a task related to the student’s education.
- Performing a task related to the discipline of a student.
- Providing a service or benefit relating to the student or the student’s family, such as health care, counseling, job placement, or financial aid.
To certain officials of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General, and state and local educational authorities in connection with certain state or federally supported education programs.
To the National Student Clearinghouse for enrollment and degree verification purposes.
In connection with a student’s request for or receipt of financial aid, as necessary to determine the eligibility, amount or conditions of the financial aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the financial aid.
If required by a state law requiring disclosure that was adopted before November 19, 1974.
To organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of Montreat College.
To accrediting organizations to carry out their functions.
To comply with a judicial order or a lawfully issued subpoena (accompanied by a reasonable effort to notify the student).
To the appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency.
Results of a disciplinary hearing for an alleged victim of a crime of violence.
Final results of a disciplinary hearing concerning a student who is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence and who is found to have committed a violation of the school’s rules or policies.
Disclosure to the parent of a student under 21 if the institution determines that the student has committed a violation of its drug or alcohol policies.

Directory Information Policy

Montreat College designates the following items as directory information:

Student’s name
Hometown
Housing Status: Campus or Commuter (excludes specific campus housing location, i.e., residential room number)
Montreat College email address
Participation in campus activities and sports, including weight, height, and position of members of athletic teams
Dates of attendance
Current degree and major fields of study
Enrollment status
Classification
Expected graduation date
Student employment job title and dates
Degrees and awards received
Photographs
Institution most recently attended

Procedure for Students Requesting to Amend Educational Records

Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students have the right to request an amendment to an educational record they believe contains information that is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise violates their rights under FERPA. This process applies only to information contained in an educational record and may not be used to challenge grades, disciplinary decisions, academic judgments, or other substantive decisions made by the College.

Limitation on Requests to Amend Educational Records

The right to request an amendment applies only to information that is alleged to be inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This process may not be used to challenge substantive academic judgments, earned grades, disciplinary decisions, or opinions properly recorded by College officials.

Requests related to academic judgments, earned grades, or other academic matters must be addressed through the Academic Grievance Process as outlined in the Academic Catalog.

To request an amendment to an educational record:

Requests related to academic judgments, earned grades, or other academic matters must be addressed through the Academic Grievance Process as outlined in the Academic Catalog.

To request an amendment to an educational record:

Submit a written request to the Registrar’s Office within 7 days.
Clearly identify the specific portion of the educational record you are requesting to be amended.
Explain why you believe the information is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of your rights under FERPA.
Include any supporting documentation that may assist in the review of your request.

After receiving the request, the College will:

Review the request and provide a written response within 30 business days.
Amend the educational record if the College determines that the information is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s rights under FERPA, and notify the student in writing of the amendment.
Notify the student in writing if the request is denied and advise the student of the right to request a hearing.

If a hearing is requested:

The College will schedule the hearing within 14 business days of the request and notify the student of the date, time, and location.
The hearing will be overseen by the Office of the Provost and an academic appeal committee. Committee members will not have a direct interest in the outcome of the matter.
The student will have the opportunity to present evidence relevant to the request.
The College will issue a written decision within 7 business days following the hearing. The decision will include a summary of the evidence presented and the basis for the decision.

If the hearing upholds the College’s decision:

The student will be notified in writing of the outcome.
The student may submit a written statement commenting on the contested information or explaining the disagreement with the decision.
The student’s statement will become a permanent part of the educational record for as long as the contested portion of the record is maintained.
Whenever the contested portion of the educational record is disclosed, the student’s statement will also be disclosed.