FERPA

With certain exceptions, education records are all records relating to a student that are maintained by the college. Education records include any record, file, document, email, or other material (handwritten, digital, photographic, etc.) which contains information directly related to a student such as a student's academic progress, financial information, medical condition, personal interest item, or student worker information.

FERPA defines for a student as any individual who is officially registered and has attended a Kirkwood class, regardless of their age or the class location, or who has been officially registered and attended in the past, and about whom the college maintains education records.

Someone who has applied for admission but has never been in attendance at the college is not considered a student. 

Information that would directly identify the student or make the student's identity easily traceable, including, but not limited to:

• The name of the student, the student's parent, or other family members.
• The student's contact information (address, phone number, email address).
• A personal identifier such as k number or Social Security Number.
• Any other personal characteristics that make the student identifiable.

Directory information is data that is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if released. It may be disclosed to outside organizations without a student's prior written consent unless a student has informed the college that he or she wishes to restrict the release by submitting a Directory Information Release Block form.

Kirkwood Community College has designated the following items as "Directory Information:"

• Student's name.
• Date of birth.
• Diplomas, certificates earned, and awards (e.g., Dean's list).
• Dates of attendance (e.g., Fall 2010, Fall 2010-Spring 2012).
• Enrollment status (full-time, part-time, not enrolled).
• Participation in officially recognized activities (e.g., SIFE, DECA).
• Participation in officially recognized sports.
• Height and weight of members of athletic teams.
• Major and hometown (for commencement program only).

Written consent allows Kirkwood to release non-directory information from a student’s education record. To give consent, a student should complete the Consent for Release of Education Record.

The form specifies the records to be released, states the purpose of the release, identifies the party or parties to whom release may be made, is signed and dated by the student, and maintained by Kirkwood.

When a school official is performing a task that is specified in their position description or contract, or when there is a demonstrated "need to know" by those school officials who act in the student's educational interest.

A current student has a right to block the release of his or her directory information by completing a Directory Information Block form. However, doing so can have negative consequences you should be aware of:

• When inquiries about your enrollment are received, Kirkwood employees will not acknowledge that you’ve ever enrolled at Kirkwood.
• Enrollment verifications for insurance companies and prospective landlords will be returned without the information they need.
• Prospective employers attempting to verify your degree, diploma or certificate with the National Student Clearinghouse will be denied that information.
• Kirkwood cannot assume responsibility to contact you for subsequent permission to release the information and assumes no liability for honoring your request that directory information be restricted.
• Even though you may have placed a directory block, Kirkwood has the right to share your education records with school officials who have a legitimate educational interest.

Students play an important role in maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of their education records and are encouraged to take the following steps to ensure safety and security:

• Never share your k number or password.
• Be careful about sharing private information via wireless technology (cell phones, WiFi, etc.).
• Take caution in the use of Web sites, electronic communication and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and don't reveal information that compromises privacy.
• Learn about safe computing and protecting privacy.

To cancel your permission to release your records, complete the Consent for Release of Education Record form and choose the option to “revoke” your consent.

FERPA allows the people from the following list to access student records without written consent:

• Kirkwood school officials (e.g., faculty and staff) with a legitimate educational interest.
• Those requesting directory information that has not been restricted by student request.
• Officials at another college where the student intends to enroll or is already enrolled so long as it is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.
• Entities performing duties on behalf of the college. 
• Representatives of agencies or organizations from which the student has received financial aid.
• Other schools to which the student is transferring or has enrolled.
• Federal and state officials, and accrediting organizations, including military recruiters under the Solomon Amendment.
• Requests when there is an articulable and significant threat to the health and safety of the student or other individuals.
• Requests in accordance with a lawfully issued subpoena or court order.
• Others allowed by law can be found in the College Catalog.

Students who participate in a course that uses Talon may have access to personal information and academic work produced by other students. FERPA requires that students not reveal any information about classmates, course work content, or its authors to anyone outside of the class.

Kirkwood expects that students will respect the rights of faculty and other students who participate in the educational process. These guidelines will help ensure the privacy of other students:

• When emailing groups of students, always put their email addresses in the bcc: (blind copy) area, NOT in the To: area, so their addresses are not shown in the email when it’s received.
• Don't post personal information about other students on Web sites or share personal information about them via email.
• Students who participate in a course that uses Talon may have access to personal information and academic work produced by other students. FERPA requires that students not reveal any information about classmates, course work content, or its authors to anyone outside of the class.

Per the Solomon Amendment, institutions of higher education are required to provide "student recruiting information" for all students who are at least seventeen (17) years of age and enrolled for at least one credit hour at their institution to military recruiters. Please note that the Solomon Amendment supersedes FERPA and even if a college has a policy of not releasing directory information it must comply with requests for student recruiting information.

• Student recruiting information includes: name, address, telephone number, date of birth, program of study, class level, degrees awarded.
• Information released is limited to the current semester or previous semester. Any student who has placed a FERPA block on their record will be excluded.

Kirkwood defines school officials as the following:

• A person employed by the college.
• A person or company employed by or under contract to the College to perform a special task on its behalf such as an attorney, auditor or collection agency.
• A member of the Kirkwood Board of Trustees.
• A member of an accreditation committee.
• An employee at a high school where a Kirkwood student is dual enrolled.
• An employee of a state or federal approving agency.

We recognize that parents provide a great deal of financial and emotional support to their children while they are students at Kirkwood. However, we must balance this recognition with the fact that students have legal rights that must be fully respected.

Once your child attends a college class, you no longer have an automatic right to access their education records, no matter the student's age. Instead, the access rights transfer to the student. We cannot discuss your student's information without their written consent.

FERPA requires the student’s written consent before we can release education records or grades to parents. Your student can login to MyHub to show you the records, or complete a Consent for Release of Education Record to allow us to speak to you about the records.

Download the Consent Form

Your student has primary responsibility for keeping you informed about their progress at Kirkwood Community College. FERPA only allows Kirkwood to relay policy information and general observations that are not part of the recorded education record.

The college’s policy regarding communication with parents applies equally to students who are minors. When a student attends a Kirkwood class, regardless of the student’s age or the class location, rights under FERPA transfer to the student.

The college recommends that you ask your student about their academic progress. Your student can also request a login for you and specify information you'll have access to, such as tax forms, grades and account balance. This feature, called "proxy access", is available in MyHub. 

Students can request an Enrollment Verification in MyHub. Please be aware that if the student has requested a Directory Information Release Block, the verification cannot be fulfilled.

Financial Aid staff are available to answer questions about aid programs and financing options for Kirkwood families. Regardless of the student's consent, staff will respond to parent questions regarding the parent's own financial information and provide general information regarding financial aid awards. Once the student has attended class at Kirkwood, the student will need to provide a Consent for Release of Education Records before the staff will discuss details of the student's financial aid award.