Student Privacy Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are as follows:

The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day SGTC receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The SGTC 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 school official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the college to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the SGTC official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If SGTC decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the college 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.
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. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to college officials with legitimate educational interests. A college official is a person employed by SGTC in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom SGTC has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on a school board; 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.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by SGTC 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

In accordance with the federal law outlined above, SGTC will release the following information as directory information:

Full name of student
Major and field(s) of study
Enrollment status (i.e., full or part-time, undergraduate, graduate)
Degrees and awards and date received
Dates of attendance
Participation in official sports and activities
Height and weight of athletic team members

FERPA Objection

Any adult student or minor student’s parent who objects to the release of this directory information under the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act should file an objection in writing clearly stating what directory information should not be released to third parties. Forms are available in the Registrar’s office for filing a FERPA Objection. Another federal law, known as the Solomon Amendment, requires South Georgia Technical College to release student recruitment information to military recruiters. Student recruitment information is defined as: name, address, telephone number, age, major, date(s) of attendance (quarter of enrollment), degree awarded. If you do not wish to have student recruitment information released to third parties, you may file a FERPA Objection in the office of the Registrar.