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FERPA

Privacy Policy

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a United States federal law that governs the access to educational information and records.

An eligible student means a student who has reached 18 years of age or is attending a college at any age. An eligible student is a student who is currently attending Ocean County College or has previously attended Ocean County College. FERPA does not protect applicants of OCC who have not yet enrolled.

Under FERPA, a parent or eligible student must provide signed and dated, written consent in order for the school to disclose personally identifiable information from the student’s education records. Education records include, but are not limited to: demographic information, admission records, financial records, class schedules and grades.

A student can designate an individual as their proxy to have access to select pages in Ocean Connect: Self-Service. View instructions here. This does not replace the written consent that must be given by a student in order for the college to release information to a parent or designated proxy. Complete the  Authorization to Release FERPA Protected Information (PDF) form.

Directory Information

Can information be shared without permission? An OCC office may release personally identifiable “directory information” from a student’s education record without first obtaining the student’s written permission, unless the student has requested this information remain confidential.

Ocean County College defines Directory information as the student’s:

  • Name
  • Address
  • E-mail address
  • Telephone listing
  • Date and place of birth
  • Major field of study
  • Participation in officially recognized sports and activities
  • Weight and height of members of athletic teams
  • Dates of attendance
  • Degrees, certificates, and awards received
  • Most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student

Complete the Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information (PDF) if you do not want your Directory information released.

Complete the Revocation of Directory Information (PDF) if you had previously completed the form above and now would like to allow your Directory Information to be released.

Student Records

Can I access my records that are on file with the college?  Students requesting access to their records must present proper identification and a signed Student Request to Inspect and Amend Education Records (PDF) form to the Registrar in the Registration and Records Department. Ocean County College reserves the right to deny copies of records, including transcripts, in any of the following situations: (a) the student has an unpaid financial obligation to the college or district; (b) there is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student; or (c) the education record requested is an exam or set of standardized test questions. If you feel that your record should be amended and the Registrar denies the amendment, you have the opportunity to appeal by submitting the FERPA Request for Appeal (PDF) form.

File a Complaint

Any student reserves the right to file a complaint with the family Compliance Office in the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Ocean County College in complying with the requirements of FERPA.

The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5901

Want to learn more?

For further review, more information can be found under Ocean County College’s Policy #5138, Confidentiality of Student Records (PDF).

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