Confidentiality of Student Records

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment), Athens Technical College accords all rights under the law to students who are declared independent. Congress designed the act to protect the privacy of educational records and to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their non-privileged educational records. The act also provides guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal or formal hearings. Students have the right to file complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office at the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the act. Athens Technical College also provides a mechanism whereby students may file complaints within the college.

The college informs students about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) annually by publication in the Catalog and Student Handbook. The college also notifies students of their rights during the New Student Orientation. This policy applies to current and former students of Athens Technical College.

The Office of Registration and Records maintains and safeguards student academic records. The college preserves all official current and former student records, and these records are private and confidential. College personnel may maintain separate record files for the following categories: academic, medical, psychiatric/counseling, financial and financial aid, placement, disciplinary, and veterans' affairs. The vice president for student affairs shall maintain records of disciplinary action.

Educational records include any records (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, computer, or other medium) maintained by the college or the Technical College System of Georgia that are directly related to a student except:

• A personal record kept by a faculty or staff member if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record, is not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute of the maker of the record and is not used for purposes other than a memory or reference tool. Records that contain information taken directly from a student or that are used to make decisions about the student are not covered by this exception.
• Records created and maintained by a technical college law enforcement unit for law enforcement purposes.
• An employment record of an individual whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he or she is a student.
• Records made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those persons providing the treatment.
• Alumni records that contain information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at the college, and which do not relate to the person as a student.