FERPA Information

Your Rights Under FERPA
As a current or former student, The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)  (http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html) affords you certain rights regarding your education records. They are:

  • The right to inspect and review your records. You may request to review your records by submitting a written request to the Registrar or other school official having custody of such records;
  • The right to seek amendment of your records which you believe are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of your privacy rights. Requests for amendment of records must be in writing and must describe the specific portions of specific records that you wish to have amended, text or instructions as to the change desired, and the reasons why the change is justified;
  • The right to restrict the disclosure of Directory Information; and
  • The right to file a complaint with the Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

Definition of Education Records
Education records are those records directly related to a student maintained by the university or by a party acting for the institute.

Release of Education Records
Except as provided in FERPA (see below) or other applicable law, the institute will not disclose personally identifiable information from your education records unless you provide a written release containing:

  • What information is to be released
  • To whom the information is to be released
  • The purpose for which it is to be released
  • Your signature and the date signed

Faculty and staff are responsible for protecting the identity of students and keeping student grades confidential. Grades or evaluations linked to personal identifiers (names, ID numbers, or social security numbers) may not be publicly disclosed.  The return of graded papers or other assignments must also be accomplished in a manner that protects your identity.

Some records created and maintained by the institute, although not covered by FERPA, may be subject to other federal and state laws or regulations regarding disclosure.

The exceptions under FERPA which allow the institute to disclose personally identifiable information from your education record are stated in the full text of the Cambridge Student Records Policy, available at main office. The most common exceptions to disclosure restrictions are disclosures to institute faculty or staff – “School Officials” – with a legitimate educational interest, or disclosure of personally identifiable information designated as Directory Information.

Definition of Directory Information
Directory information includes:

  • your full name
  • mailing and permanent address(es) and telephone number(s)
  • e-mail address
  • the fact that you are or ever were enrolled
  • enrollment status (e.g., full-time, half-time or less than half-time)
  • class level and majors/minors
  • dates of attendance
  • degrees, honors or awards received
  • cumulative credit hours
  • participation in officially recognized activities

Below is a quick reference of frequently asked-for data, and whether it is or is not Directory Information at Cambridge.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION?

YES

NO

Student’s full name

X

Student ID number

X

Date of Birth

X

Mailing address and telephone number

X

E-Mail Address

X

Parent names and/or addresses

X

Class level and academic major/minor

X

Dates of attendance

X

Fact that the student is or has been enrolled

X

Degrees, honors, certificates awarded

X

GPA or grades

X

Cumulative credit hours

X

Current term credits or class schedule

X

Full-time, half-time or less than half-time enrollment status

X

Information on academic standing (probation, disqualification, etc.) or whether student is eligible to return to school

X

Petitions to Academic Affairs

X

Whether student has applied for graduation

X

Unmet degree requirements for graduation

X

Accounts Receivable balance

X

Financial records of parents

X

Student employment records

X

Copies of transcripts from other schools or colleges

X


Definition of School Official
A “School Official” is defined as “a person employed by Cambridge or in the chancellor’s office of the Cambridge System; a person or entity, including a governmental entity, with whom the Cambridge System has contracted [e.g. National Student Clearinghouse for enrollment and degree verifications, EDU 2.0 for online course information]; a person serving on the Institute’s governing board; or a student serving on an official committee or assisting another school official in performing his or her duties.”

Directory Information Restriction
You may choose to restrict release of your Directory Information.  When the release of Directory Information is restricted, the fact that you are currently a student, or have ever been enrolled at the Cambridge, will not be released.

Once you restrict the release of Directory Information, in order to conduct any business with the university, you will need to go in person to the office involved, with photo ID, or, via mail or fax, provided a written request for release containing the following:

  • What information is to be released
  • To whom the information is to be released
  • The purpose for which it is to be released
  • Your signature and the date signed

No information will be provided via telephone. No information will be provided to anyone – parents, relatives, friends, other students, or prospective employers – who may wish to contact you or verify your student status at the institute, without a written release from you containing the elements listed above.

Restricted Directory Information is made available only where an emergency is involved, at the direction of a court order, or to Cambridge staff and faculty with a legitimate educational need to know.

Submitting a Directory Restriction Request

A Restriction of Directory Information form is available in the Administrative Offices. Complete the form, including signature and date, and return it in person. Photo identification is required.

Your request to place or remove the restriction is effective no later than five business days after it is received in the Administrative Offices.

  • Note: Submission of a Directory Restriction form does not affect directory information already published or released.

Restriction Duration
The restriction of information is permanent until you request, in writing, that it be removed. The restriction will remain in place even after you have stopped attending or have graduated.

Requesting Letters of Reference or Recommendation from Faculty or Staff
Students who request letters of reference or recommendation from Cambridge faculty or staff members need to do so in writing. Such letters or statements are most effective if they contain specific information about your academic; this type of information is considered “non-directory” information and cannot be released without the signed written consent of the student, according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Cambridge Student Records Policy.

Your request authorizing release of non-directory information should contain the following:

  • What information is to be released (be as specific as possible)
  • To whom the information is to be released (name, address)
  • The purpose of the release of the information (application for a specific job, for example)
  • Your signature and date

The Office of the Registrar has composed a FERPA-compliant authorization to release form that may be used when requesting references/recommendations. The Student Reference Request form may be completed and signed then mailed, faxed, or sent as a pdf to the faculty or staff member from whom you are requesting the reference/recommendation.

Cambridge System (CIAHTS) Social Security Number Disclosure Consent Statement
Students are requested to provide voluntarily their Social Security Numbers to assist Cambridge (and organizations conducting studies on behalf of Cambridge) in developing, validating, or administering predictive tests and assessments; administering student aid programs; improving instruction; internal identification of students; collection of student debts; or comparing student educational experiences with subsequent workforce experiences. When conducting studies, Cambridge will disclose a Social Security Number only in a manner that does not permit personal identification of a student by individuals other than representatives of Cambridge (or the organization conducting the study for Cambridge) and only if the information is destroyed when no longer needed for the purposes for which the study was conducted. By providing their Social Security Number, students are consenting to the uses identified above. This request is made pursuant to ORS 351.070 and 351.085. Provision of the student’s Social Security Number and consent to its use is not required and, if a student chooses not to do so, he/she will not be denied any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law. A student may revoke consent for the use of his/her Social Security Number at any time by contacting the Office of the Registrar.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
FERPA was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1974 and has since had many amendments.  Responsibility for oversight of FERPA compliance rests with the Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office.  For complete information on FERPA, see their web site at http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/index.html.

Consent to Release Confidential Student Record Information Waiver
With specific exceptions (listed above), a signed and dated consent by the student must be provided before disclosure of non-directory information can be made to your parents or any other third party.

You are not required to sign the waiver below, and it can be cancelled at any time by your request; however, Cambridge cannot discuss your records with your parents (or any other third party) unless we have a signed FERPA waiver naming that person in your file or unless your parent claims you as a dependent on their most recent years federal tax return (a copy of the tax return will be required to verify this condition). Fill out the Consent to Release Confidential Student Record Information (waiver) form below. The student must bring the signed form or a copy of the parent’s most recent federal tax return to the Office of the Registrar or any Administrative Office.

If you have any questions regarding your FERPA rights or the FERPA waiver, please contact your local Registrar’s Office.
Atlanta Campus:
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology
Office of the Registrar
5669 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30342
Phone: (404)255-4500
Fax: (404)255-4503

Palm Beach (Delray Beach) Campus:
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology
Office of the Registrar
5150 Linton Blvd., Suite 340
Delray Beach, FL 33484
Phone: (561)381-4990
Fax:(561)381-4992

Orlando (Altamonte Springs) Campus:
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology
Office of the Registrar
460 East Altamonte Drive
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Phone: (407)265-8383
Fax: (407)265-8384

Miami Gardens Campus:
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology
Office of the Registrar
1000 Park Centre Boulevard – Suite 112
Miami Gardens, FL 33169
Phone: (305)627-3001