The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, FERPA, protects academic and other education records of students from unauthorized access. It allows the College to refuse to issue a transcript in the event of an outstanding financial obligation to the College or to a national loan program. FERPA permits access to academic records within the College under the "legitimate need to know" clause. This allows faculty advisors, administrators, faculty and selected staff access as long as the use of such information is within the purpose of the College and for the benefit of the student.

FERPA allows access to academic records beyond the direct use of the College, or third party access, under the following circumstances:

     With the student's signed release,

• To the parent of the student who is legally of minor age,
• To the parent of the student who is legally an adult but who continues to be the financial dependent of the parent, and
• For academic research provided all personally identifiable information is removed from the data.

If a student is of minor age, grades may be discussed with parents. Parents or guardians of students 18 years of age or older must present proof of the student’s financial dependence or written approval of the student to the College before discussion of grades or academic performance. Releases of Information forms are available in the Records Office. The FERPA release does not provide additional copies of Progress Reports or Final Grade Reports to parents or other parties. If a family member, scholarship, or agency requires a copy of grades each semester, the student must sign an individual transcript request for an official transcript; forms are available in the Records Office. Official transcripts cost $5.00 per copy.

It is the policy of Northeast Mississippi Community College that any official transcript or letter verifying grades or grade point average should be issued through the Records Office and that any form affirming grades or GPA should be signed by the Registrar. A student copy of the NEMCC transcript or verification of enrollment for currently enrolled students is also available to the student with his/her authorizing signature in the Records Office or by the student accessing his/her secure account via Tigerline. Any document containing grades or grade point average of high school academic records or college credits transferred to Northeast Mississippi Community College should be issued from the institution that maintains the permanent record. High School transcripts and transfer transcripts on file at Northeast Mississippi Community College are third party, non-transferable records and are the property of Northeast Mississippi Community College.

The other type of information addressed by FERPA, directory information (name, address including email address, telephone number, date & place of birth, photograph, academic major/minor, class schedule, dates of attendance, degrees & awards received, most previous institution attended), is considered public information UNLESS the student has a signed statement on file in the Records Office to the contrary. Publication includes news releases and phone inquiries by prospective employers, insurance companies and others.