(Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment, protects the privacy of student education records while allowing colleges to maintain campus safety.

• FERPA requires colleges to keep education records confidential. The education records of students and formerly enrolled students consist of those records, files, documents and other materials directly related to a student that the college maintains, including digital records.

• Colleges may disclose records with the consent of the student, if the disclosure meets one of the statutory exemptions, or if the disclosure is directory information and the student has not placed a hold on release of directory information. Directory information includes: name of student, address (both local, including e-mail address and permanent), telephone number (both local and permanent), dates of registered attendance, enrollment status (e.g. full-time or part-time), school or division of enrollment, major field of study, nature and dates of degrees and awards received, participation in officially recognized activities and unique student identifier numbers (not Social Security Number). 

In accordance with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), Trident Technical College restricts the disclosure of information from student education records to third parties and provides students the right to review their education records. TTC may release information known as public or directory information, including the student's name, address, telephone listing, e-mail address, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student. Students who do not wish to be included in the directory must advise the Registrar.

Transcripts are issued by the Registrar's office. FERPA requires that an individual release form is signed by the student for each company, school or individual to whom you desire information released. Parents or guardians of dependent students may access dependent student records by completing a request form and providing appropriate documentation verifying the dependent status of the student to the office of the Vice President for Student Services.

*NOTE* Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) only a student him/herself can initiate a password reset request. Even if the student is a minor, parents may not request on behalf of the student.

Student Records Confidentiality - more information