Student Records

Augustana College believes that the education records of current and former students shall be kept confidential according to provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended; and hereafter referred to as FERPA.

The College will not disclose information contained in education records to anyone outside of the institution without the student's consent except to officials of another school in which the student seeks or intends to enroll, and to federal, state and local agencies and authorities as permitted under FERPA.

Education records are documents that relate directly to a student and include academic transcripts and supporting documents, student judicial records, financial aid records, and career placement records. These records may be disclosed to Augustana College personnel with legitimate educational interest without prior consent. (NOTE: The College may disclose financial records to parents or guardians of a dependent student as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1964. Parents or guardians of students under the age of 21 may also be notified if their son/daughter violates the College’s alcohol and drug policies per the Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998.)

Listed below is information not considered a part of a student’s education record and therefore are not subject to FERPA provisions:

  • Personal records kept by a member of the college staff that are not revealed to others and are kept in the sole possession of the staff member; and
  • student employment records that relate exclusively to the student in the capacity of an Employee; and
  • Records of the College's Campus Safety Department which are maintained solely for law enforcement purposes; and
  • Medical records maintained by the Wellness Center (health and counseling services) and other recognized professional and paraprofessional, if those records are used solely for treatment and made available only to those persons providing treatment.

Request for Review
Students have a right to review their education records as provided by the provisions of FERPA.

Items requested for review shall be made available no later than 45 calendar days following receipt of the written request. Note: No official academic transcript will be released until all accounts, including loan funds administered by the College, are paid in full or are current according to established repayment schedules.

Limitations on Student Rights
There are some limitations on the rights of students to review their records. Students shall have no right to inspect or review:

  • Confidential letters and recommendations associated with admission, employment, or job placement if a student has signed a waiver, or the receipt of an honorary recognition;
  • Education records containing information about more than one student, in which case the College will permit access only to that part of the record pertaining to the inquiring student;
  • Financial records of the student's parents or guardians.

Directory Information
Items of public or directory information contained in education records may be released at the discretion of Augustana College officials without the student's prior consent. This public information includes: name, place and date of birth, names of parents and home address, college address, photograph in college directory, verification of degree including honors, previous schools attended, and participation in recognized activities.

Request to Withhold Disclosure
A student may choose to refuse disclosure of education records including items of public or directory information without prior consent by contacting the Dean of Students Office. The request to withhold information will remain in effect as long as the student continues to be enrolled or until the student files a written request to discontinue the withholding.

Challenge to Contents of Education Records
Any student who believes their education record contains information that is inaccurate or misleading or otherwise in violation of their privacy is encouraged to informally discuss this concern with a college administrator responsible for the department or area in which the record is located. If the College decides to not amend the record as requested, the student may appeal to the Dean of Students.

Students have a right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with 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, DC, 20202-4605