The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their student’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.” (Source: U.S. Department of Education, www.ed.gov)
FERPA provides for the right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to student educational records. With a student’s written consent, the Assistant Dean of Judicial Affairs, and/or designee, may disclose confidential information on file to the individual(s) or agency named by the student on the consent form. Usually, inspections and/or disclosure of these records require authorization; however, there are certain stipulations and exceptions in FERPA whereby this information may be released without this written consent.
A FERPA waiver may be procured in the Office of Student Life & Judicial Affairs, Room SC-110, Pitkin Education Center, 1st Floor.
Bergen Community College
400 Paramus Road
Paramus, NJ 07652