Release of Student Directory Information

POLICY #:  SA 91-25A

DATE OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVAL:  October 16, 1997

RESOLUTION #:  91-25A, 13-10, 18-22, 23-13

POLICY STATEMENT:  It is the policy of the Herkimer County Community College Board of Trustees that no one shall have access to, nor will the institution disclose, any information from students' education records without the consent of students, except to personnel within the institution; to officials of other institutions in which students seek to enroll; to persons or organizations providing students financial aid; to accrediting agencies carrying out their accreditation function; to persons in compliance with a judicial order; to a person employed by the University’s System Administration; organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school; and to persons in an emergency in order to protect the health or safety of students or other persons.

At its discretion, the College may provide "directory information" to individuals, organizations, and agencies in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

The term "directory information" relating to a student includes the following: the student's name, address, picture identification, telephone listing, email, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student.

Under the "Solomon Amendment” (32 CFR part 216), the "Directory Information" data referred to above must be provided, in writing, to the military upon request.

BACKGROUND:  The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 was written to protect rights of students to inspect and review certain education records.  It prohibits release without consent of personally identifiable information from such records, which is not "directory information" stating (a) that a written institutional policy must be established and (b) that a statement of adopted procedures covering the privacy rights of students be made available.  Amendment made to original policy on October 16, 1997 to include definition of term "directory information" and Solomon Amendment directive.

The policy was further amended in 2019 to include a designation required by SUNY System Administration to reflect a SUNY regulation connected with reporting of College information.

The policy was updated again in 2024 to expand on who shall have access to students’ education records to include organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school; and to include picture identification and email under “directory information” in the third paragraph. 

REVISED:  9/25/2013, 4/25/2019, 4/22/2024