FERPA Notification - Coastal Carolina University
In This Section

FERPA Notification

NOTIFICATION OF STUDENT RIGHTS UNDER FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

Coastal Carolina University education record policies comply fully with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended, enacted as section 438 of the General Education Provisions Act. The University provides official notice to students of their rights under FERPA by publishing such notice in the Coastal Carolina University Catalog and on the Office of the Registrar’s home page. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are: 

  1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official 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 University official to whom that request was submitted, that official shall 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 or misleading.  Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her 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 consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Coastal Carolina University will disclose information from a student’s education records only with the written consent of the student, except:

    (a) To school officials with legitimate educational interests; a school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including campus law enforcement and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting 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 responsibility.

    (b) To officials of other institutions in which the student intends to enroll provided that the student has previously requested a release of his/her record to the requesting institution;

    (c) To authorized representatives of the U.S. Department of Education, the Comptroller General of the United States, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Attorney General of the United States, state/local educational authorities, organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of the University, and accrediting organizations;

    (d) In connection with a student’s application for, and receipt of, financial aid;

    (e) To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;

    (f) To parents of dependent students as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 152;

    (g) To appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency; or

    (h) To the alleged victim of any crime of violence of the results of any disciplinary proceedings conducted by the University.

    Coastal Carolina University has designated the following items as Directory Information: a student’s name, mailing addresses (local, permanent, electronic), telephone numbers, photograph, electronic image, semester/s of attendance, enrollment status (full- or part-time), date of admission, date of graduation, college, major and minor fields of study, whether or not currently enrolled, classification (freshman, etc.), type of degree being pursued, degrees, honors, and awards received (including scholarships and fellowships), the most recent educational institution attended, weight and height of members of athletic teams, and whether the student has participated in officially recognized activities and sports sponsored by the University.

    The University may disclose any of these items without prior written consent unless the student has submitted a written request to the Office of the Registrar not to release directory information pertaining to them. This request must be made at the time of registration but no later than 14 days after the beginning of the term.

    The University may publish a Student Directory annually. Students who do not wish to have information printed in the Student Directory should complete a Student Directory Privacy Request Form, available in the Office of the Registrar. Student Directory Privacy Request Forms must be completed no later than 14 days after the beginning of the term.

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

       Family Policy Compliance Office
       U.S. Department of Education
       600 Independence Avenue, SW
       Washington DC 20202-4605

    Questions concerning this law and the University’s procedures concerning release of student education records may be directed to the Office of the Registrar, Bill Baxley Hall 222, 843-349-2019.

    Appeals: An appropriate hearing board will provide each student with an opportunity to challenge the content of their University education records, to ensure that the records are accurate, and provide an opportunity for the correction or deletion of any inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate data contained therein. Hearing requests should be made to the University Registrar.