FERPA Statement

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

The following information concerning student records maintained by LSCPA is published in compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

Access to educational records directly related to a student will not be granted unless disclosure of the type of record is authorized to be disclosed under the provision of the law. The types, locations, and names of custodians of educational records maintained by LSCPA are available from the Registrar. Access to records by persons other than the student will be limited to those persons and agencies specified in the statute.

The release of information to the public without the consent of the student will be limited to the categories of information which have been designated by Lamar State College Port Arthur as directory information and which will be routinely released. The student may request that any or all of this information be withheld from the public by making written request to the Registrar’s Office. The request must be made by the last official day to register for a given session and applies until a written release is received. Directory information includes name, current address, telephone number, major and minor, number of institutional hours earned, participation in officially recognized activities, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the last educational agency or institution attended.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by  Lamar State College Port Arthur or the Texas State University System Administrative Office in an administrative, supervisory, academic research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the LSCPA has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Regents; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

Upon request, the LSCPA discloses education records without consent to officials of another school, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

A student has the right to challenge records and information directly related to him or her if it is considered to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate. Issues may be resolved either through an informal hearing with the official immediately responsible or by requesting a formal hearing. The procedures to be followed in a formal hearing are available in the Office of Student Services. The right of parental access to student records may be established by either of two methods: first, by the student’s filing a written consent statement, or second, by the parent validating the student’s dependency as defined by the Internal Revenue Service.