Retention of Academic Records

Your academic records are stored primarily in digital form on secure web servers. Digital back-up copies of your records, paper documents such as your transcripts, printed copies of your digital records (when required), and your other records are maintained by the seminary. Your records include, but are not limited to documents and files related to academics, admissions, advising, discipline, payment, credit, and placement. Original documents and digital files submitted to the Seminary become a permanent part of your file and will not be returned to you or sent elsewhere.

Rockbridge Seminary utilizes security measures to prevent information abuse.

FERPA Compliance

The Seminary respects the privacy of your education records and complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Generally, a higher education institution must have written permission from you in order to release any of your education records to another person or agency. However, FERPA allows higher education institutions to disclose those records, without your consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions pursuant to (34 CFR § 99.31).

  • Seminary officials with legitimate educational need to have access to your information
  • Other schools to which you are transferring
  • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes
  • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student
  • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the Seminary
  • Accrediting organizations
  • Complying with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena
  • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies
  • State and local authorities within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

FERPA also gives you certain rights with respect to your education records.

  • You have the right to inspect and review your education. You submit this access to the VP for Academic Services in writing, and identify the record(s) you wish to inspect. The VP for Academic Services will make arrangement for access and notify you of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the VP for Academic Services, you will be advised of the correct official to whom the request should be directed.
  • You have the right to request an amendment to your education records if you believe the information is misleading or inaccurate. To request an amendment, you should write the Seminary official responsible for the record, clearly identifying the part of the record you want changed, specifying why it is currently misleading or inaccurate. If the Seminary decides not to amend the record as requested, the Seminary will notify you of the decision and advise you of your rights to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to you when notified of the right to a hearing.
  • After a hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.

You have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Rockbridge to comply with FERPA requirements.

Family Policy Compliance Office
Department of Education
Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20202-8520

Additional FERPA information is available from the U.S. Department of Education.

U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20202
(800) 872-5327

Disclosure of Directory Information

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell students about directory information and allow a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

Information defined as Directory Information by Rockbridge Seminary may be released without your consent. Directory Information about you disclosed by Rockbridge is defined as follows:

Name
Address
Phone Number
Email address

Your Photo (for identification purposes only)
Enrollment Status
Date of Graduation
Degrees and Honors Received
Major Field of Study
Dates of Attendance
Most Recent Institution Attended

Your social security number is never considered Directory Information.

You may opt out of Directory Information disclosure by submitting a written request to the VP for Academic Services.