Student Rights
You have the right to know the following:
- what financial assistance is available, including information on all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs;
- the deadline for submitting applications for each program;
- how financial aid will be distributed, and the criteria used by the College to select financial aid recipients;
- how financial need is determined - this includes how costs for tuition and fees, travel, books and supplies, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc. are considered in the budget;
- the amount of financial need that has been met;
- the school’s refund policy;
- what portion of the financial aid package received must be repaid and what portion is grant;
- what resources (such as parental contribution, other financial aid, assets, etc.) are considered in the calculation of his/her need;
- how the school determines if students are maintaining satisfactory progress, including the 150% rule, and how to re-establish progress.
Student Responsibilities
You are responsible for the following:
- reading, understanding, signing, and accepting responsibility for all forms and official documents you are asked to provide;
- completing all application forms accurately and submitting them on time to the appropriate office;
- returning additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by the Financial Aid Office;
- informing the Financial Aid Office of any additional assistance received for educational expense;
- accepting responsibility for all agreements and/or certifications signed;
- notifying the lender, if a loan is included in the aid package, of changes in name, address, or school enrollment status;
- knowing and complying with the College’s refund policy and the Return of Title IV Funds;
- notifying the Financial Aid Office of changes in enrollment status, including a complete withdrawal from the College;
- complying with all application deadlines;
- paying any costs not covered by financial aid.
Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act
Public Law 101-542 as amended by Public Law 102-26, the Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1991, is known as the Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act. Section 103 of Title I of the Act requires institutions to produce the completion or graduation rate of certificate, diploma, or degree seeking, full time undergraduate students entering the institution and make this rate readily available to current students and to prospective students enrolling or entering into any financial obligation. Central Carolina reports the College’s most recent graduation rate annually. This report is available on the College’s website at www.cctech.edu at “About - Institutional Effectiveness and Planning - Institutional Effectiveness & Reporting - Student Achievement Goals and Reporting.”
The Clery Act (formerly known as the Federal Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990) requires colleges and universities to publish and distribute an Annual Security Report. The College’s Annual Security Report describes security practices and procedures at all campuses of CCTC, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking policies, programs and procedures, and lists crime statistics for the most recent calendar year and the two preceding calendar years by campus. This report is available online at http://www.cctech.edu/resources/campus-security/, or the College will provide a paper copy upon request. The College also maintains a Daily Crime Log where individuals can access crime reports for any of the CCTC campuses. This crime log is available is available online at http://www.cctech.edu/service-and-support/campus-security/crime-log.
Crime statistics reported in this publication can also be requested by:
Mail: Campus Security Department
506 N. Guignard Dr. Sumter, SC 29150
Phone: (803)778-6655
Email: Direct inquiries to Securityoffice@cctech.edu
Online: You can view the Annual Security Report by visiting the Security web page at http://www.cctech.edu/resources/campus-security/ or through the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Post-Secondary Education Campuses Security website at http://ope.ed.gov/security.
FERPA and the Release of Student Information
The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of student educational records. According to FERPA, when a student is 18 years of age or older or is enrolled in a postsecondary institution, the consent to release records and the rights to viewing those records belong to the student alone. Therefore, only you may view your record or request in writing a release of your record. If parents or other designated individuals wish to have access to your records, they must have your written permission specifying the purpose of disclosure, what records may be disclosed. To authorize CCTC to release information from your educational record, you must complete the FERPA Waiver located in the Forms Library at www.cctech.edu. Student Records is the office authorized to release student information.
Separate records are maintained in the following categories: (1) academic, (2) disciplinary, (3) counseling, (4) financial aid, and (5) testing placement. When justified by legitimate law enforcement needs, the campus security agency may maintain confidential records relating primarily to its investigative function.
Central Carolina Technical College will not release information to any other party without your written consent except in the following cases which are permitted under FERPA:
- School officials with a legitimate educational interest
- Agents acting on behalf of the college (contractors, consultants, etc.)
- Federal, state, and local educational and governmental agencies including the Department of Defense
- Attorneys upon subpoena issued by proper court authorities
- Names and academic records of those students who graduated the previous spring may be forwarded to their respective high schools for statistical purposes.
- Organizations conducting studies for educational agencies or institutions for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, student aid or instruction.
- Accrediting agencies
- Parents if their student (under 21) has violated the College’s alcohol or drug policy
FERPA also permits the release of certain directory information may be released for currently enrolled students. This directory information, which Central Carolina can release without permission, includes the student’s name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, program of study, date of enrollment, honors and awards received, degree/diploma awarded, unique student identifier numbers (not Social Security Number), and photographic, video graphic, and electronic images. This information will only be released while exercising extreme caution, so as not to cause you harm. If you wish not to have your directory information released, you must complete the Nondisclosure of Directory Information form located in the Forms Library at www.cctech.edu.
Students have the following rights under FERPA:
- The right to inspect and review your educational records
- The right to request an amendment to your records if believed to be inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of your privacy or other rights
- The right to limit disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in your records (except in certain situations specified in the FERPA regulations)
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with FERPA Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901
Each of these rights, with any limitations or exceptions, is explained in the College’s policy statement which may be obtained from Student Records.
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