MICA' s student record practices are in full compliance with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) ) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99). This federal law protects affords students certain rights and protection with respect to their education records. They include:
- The right to inspect their educational record at any time
- The right to request corrections to their record in the case of errors
- The right to limit the release of directory information
- The right to file a complaint with the Department of Education if they believe their FERPA rights have been compromised by an institution
The College will not release information about a student from records, except directory information, to people (including parents) without obtaining the written consent of the student. Exceptions to this policy are permitted by law and can include:
- School officials with legitimate educational interest
- Institutions to which a student is transferring
- Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes
- Accrediting organizations
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
- Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies, and parents/legal guardians of students (under 21) who have violated the alcohol or drug policy of the institution
- Department of Homeland Security
- Military recruiters
- Department of Veterans Affairs for students receiving assistance from this agency
Directory information is basic information, deemed not to be harmful, that can be released without written authorization or prior notice to the student. The items that comprise directory information are decided by an institution with guidance from the Act. The College has designated the following as directory information:
- Student name, permanent address and phone, and email address
- Whether a student is currently enrolled
- Major field of study
- Degree earned
- Dates of attendance
While disclosure of directory information is permitted by law, MICA's primary responsibility in this regard is to protect the privacy of the student. Therefore, the college does not actively disclose information and reserves the right to deny compliance with such requests.