FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a Federal law that is administered by the Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) in the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA protects your education records once you enroll in college and gives you important rights.
What Counts as an Education Record?
These are official files with your personal information that the college maintains:
📝 Academic records: Transcripts, grades, class schedules
💰 Financial records: Aid awards, tuition payments
⚖️ Conduct records: Disciplinary cases (if applicable)
What’s Not Considered an Education Record?
❌ Private notes: An instructor’s personal teaching notes
🏥 Medical records: Health center files (used only for your care)
💼 Job records: If you work on campus (and the job doesn’t require you to be a student)
🚔 Campus police records: Used only for law enforcement
🎓 Alumni records: Created after you leave (unless related to your time as a student)
What is Directory Information?
Columbia College may share these basic details about you unless you tell us not to:
✅ Your name & enrollment dates
✅ Full-time/part-time status
✅ Major & completed credits
✅ Sports participation (including athlete details like height/weight)
✅ Degrees/awards earned (honors, scholarships, Dean’s List, etc.)
Your Control Over This Information
Opt Out Anytime:
File a Notice to Deny Disclosure of Directory Information form to block all directory info.
Submit it to Admissions & Records.
How We Use It:
For things like honor rolls, graduation programs, or verifying enrollment.
First Chance to Choose:
You made your initial choice on your admissions application.
At Columbia College, we protect your personal information.
What We Can’t Share Without Your Permission
We cannot release private details like your:
Birthdate, citizenship, or ethnicity
Gender, GPA, or marital status
SSN/student ID number
…unless you give us written consent (with a few exceptions below).
When We Can Share Without Your Consent
Parents/Guardians:
If you’re under 18 and claimed as a dependent on their taxes, they may access your records (with proof submitted to Admissions).
School Staff:
Faculty/staff with a valid educational reason (e.g., advisors helping you enroll).
Financial Aid:
To determine your aid eligibility or award amounts.
Legal Requests:
If required by a subpoena or court order.
Your Rights
You control who sees your college records (even if you’re dual-enrolled in high school).
If you’re claimed as a dependent on your parents’ tax return, your school may share your education records with them without your consent. This includes:
Grades, schedules, or other school records
Information if you’re in dual enrollment (taking college classes while in high school)
Your college can choose whether or not to share this info—it’s not required.
If you’re under 18 and in dual enrollment, your parents keep rights to your high school records, but you control access to your college records.
You can view your academic records. Here's how:
Quick Access (Current Students)
✔ View your unofficial transcripts anytime through connectColumbia
After Leaving Columbia College
✔ Contact Admissions & Records to get copies of your records
✔ We can email or mail them to you
✔ You'll need to verify your identity first (for security)
Requesting Other Records
Submit a written request to the Director of Admissions & Records that specifies:
Which records you need
Why you need them
You'll hear back within 45 days about:
When/where to view them
Who to contact if they're kept by another office
Need help? Call our office or email 209-588-5231 ccadmissions@yosemite.edu. We're happy to walk you through the process!
Columbia College students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA.
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
Phone (800) 872-5327
What You Should Know
A federal law called the Solomon Amendment requires colleges to share limited student details with military recruiters for students age 17+. This overrides some FERPA privacy protections.
What Information May Be Shared?
Recruiters can request:
Your name, address, and phone number
Birth year, academic major, and degree status
The school you last attended
How Requests Work
Who Can Ask?
Only official U.S. military branches (Army, Navy, etc.).
Rules for Requests:
Must be submitted in writing on official letterhead.
Can only ask once per semester.
Must specify if they need current or past semester data.
Where Requests Go:
Email: ccadmissions@yosemite.edu
Phone: (209) 588-5231
Your Choices
Opting Out? While FERPA lets you restrict directory info, the Solomon Amendment may still require release of the above details to recruiters.
Questions? Contact Admissions & Records for clarification.
Educational Institutions are required to annually notify enrolled students of their rights under the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended. This website fulfills this obligation and serves as the annual FERPA notification to students at Columbia College.