College's catalog - Trinity Christian College

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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
Liberal Arts at Trinity
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 helps protect the privacy of student records.
The act provides for the right of the student to inspect and review education records,
the right to seek to amend those records, and to limit disclosure of information from the
records. Students who are currently enrolled at Trinity Christian College (Trinity) or formerly
enrolled students, regardless of their age or status in regard to parental dependency, are protected
under FERPA. Parents of students termed dependent for income tax purposes may have access
to the students’ educational records.
With certain exceptions, a student has rights of access to those records that are directly related
to him or her and that are maintained by Trinity. Educational Records include any records in the
possession of an employee which are shared with or accessible to another individual. The records
may be handwritten or in the form of print, magnetic tape, film, electronic image, computer
storage, or some other medium. This would include transcripts or other records obtained from a
school in which a student was previously enrolled.
Official Trinity Christian College transcripts are released only when requested in writing by the
student. The fee is $5 per copy. Transcripts will not be released to students who have failed to
meet their financial obligations to the College. Trinity may disclose information about a student
without violating FERPA through what is known as directory information. This generally includes
a student’s name, address, telephone number, electronic e-mail address, photograph, date and
place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized sports and activities,
weight and height of athletes, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (e.g., full- or
part-time), degrees, honors, and awards received, and other similar information. A student may
restrict the release of his/her directory information by submitting a signed authorization form to
the Registrar’s Office.
In certain other situations, a student’s consent is not required to disclose the educational
information. Those situations are:
1) to school officials who have ‘legitimate educational interests’;
2) to schools in which a student seeks to enroll;
3) to Federal, State, and local authorities involving an audit or evaluation of compliance with
education programs;
4) in connection with financial aid;
5) to State and local authorities pursuant to a State law adopted before November 1974 requiring
the disclosure;
6) to organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of educational institutions;
7) to accrediting organizations;
8) to parents of a dependent student;
9) to parents of students under 21 for violations of any law or institutional rule related
to the possession of alcohol or controlled substance;
10) to comply with judicial order of subpoena;
11) health or safety emergency;
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