FERPA Guidelines

FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act)Guidelines

What is FERPA?

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to:
  1. Protect the privacy of education records.
  2. Establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records.
  3. Provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate and misleading records.
FERPA applies to students attending any educational program at Atlantic Cape Community College.

What is directory information?

U.S. Department of Education defines "directory information" as information contained in the education records of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy is disclosed.

Directory Information as defined by Atlantic Cape includes:
  1. Name
  2. Classification
  3. Degrees Awarded
  4. Hometown
  5. Honors
  6. Awards
  7. Weight/Height of Athlete
  8. Sports Participation

Students may request to have their directory information blocked from being released by completing the Restrict Directory Information Form and returning it to the Enrollment Services Office located in J Building, Mays Landing Campus.

Students who elect to withhold disclosure of this category of information must conduct all college business in person with a photo ID card. Such students' names will be published in the Commencement program unless the student requests exclusion in writing. Students in this category are eligible to use Web for Students for transactions including registration, which are protected by a personal identification number (PIN). Former students may not place a new request for nondisclosure of directory information on their educational records; however, they may request its removal.

Requests for the release of Directory Information must be submitted in writing to the Registrar, Atlantic Cape, 5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing, NJ 08330-2699.

Atlantic Cape's Student Guide to FERPA provides more information. A printed copy of the brochure is available at all college locations.

For more information on FERPA, visit the U.S. Department of Education Web site.