Confidentiality

Kishwaukee College, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and its amendments, provides the following annual notice of rights accorded students under this law.

The Act established the right of students to inspect and review their educational records; provides that personally identifiable information will not, with certain exceptions, be disclosed without students written permission; provides for guidelines for correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal or formal hearings; grants students the right to file complaints with the Family Compliance Office concerning failures of the College to comply with the Act; and make provisions for notice to the students concerning those rights.

In accordance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 and the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, the College will disclose the name of the perpetrator, violation committed, and sanction(s) imposed for any crime of violence or no forcible sex offense which violates the College’s rules or policies and for which the perpetrator was found in violation as a result of disciplinary proceeding without prior consent of the perpetrator.

Kishwaukee College will not release to any individual or agency, nor permit access to, the educational records of a student, other than directory information, without the student’s written request. The following data is hereby designated as Directory Information and such information may be disclosed or released by the College for any purpose and at its discretion: students, name, address, telephone listing, college email address, date and place of birth, major field of study, current enrollment status, full or part-time status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of athletic team members, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, last educational institution attended and group and individual student photographs and images.

Student directory information may be made public. Students opposed to making any part of their directory information public must complete an OPT out form in the Student Services Office prior to the first class day of each semester, present proof of identity, and sign a statement of Directory Information Refusal. The refusal is valid until the students notify the Student Services Office to remove the hold.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional or official responsibilities for the College. Upon request, the College may also disclose education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is already enrolled, when the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.

A student may give permission to a parent, guardian, or other individual to review their record. A FERPA release waiver form is available in the Student Services. Contact the Registrar at 815-825-9375 for FERPA related questions. The complete institutional policy governing the confidentially of and access to student records is available by requests from the Registrar.