Introduction
The education records of current and former students at Volunteer State Community College are maintained as confidential records pursuant to State and Federal laws. Students have the right to access their own educational records as hereinafter set forth, and personally identifiable education records of students are not released to persons, agencies, or organizations without the consent of the student unless release is authorized by the law. Each employee of the College is individually responsible, within the scope of their employment, for compliance with State and Federal laws governing those records to which they have been granted access or are responsible to maintain.
Custodian of Records
Education Records
The College Registrar is the designated custodian of all education records, including but not limited to student financial records, non-credit records, Disability records, Human Resources & Payroll records for employees whose job requires the individual to be a student as a condition of employment, and academic records.
Financial Aid Records
The Director of Financial Aid is the designated custodian of financial aid records.
Test Scores
The Manager of Testing is the designated custodian of scores and other test records administered by the Testing Center.
Disciplinary Records
Vice President for Student Services is the designated custodian of disciplinary records.
To review any of the listed records, a student must contact the designated custodian.
Access to Records
The rights provided by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) are granted to the student when they enroll in the College regardless of student age. Students are notified how to access information about their rights each semester.
FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records. They are:
- The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s educational records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his/her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
- The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to a school official with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee; or assisting another school official in performing his/her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his/her professional responsibility.
- The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the State Colleges to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA may be obtained from the College Registrar.
The Office of Records and Registration has no obligation to provide copies of third-party records to students or other parties.
Release of Information
Directory Information concerning students is treated as public information and is published in the College Catalog. Personally identifiable information other than that listed as Directory Information will not be released except as provided by FERPA, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g and T.C.A. § 10-7-504.
School officials who have legitimate educational interests are permitted access to education records. An institution may also release personally identifiable information from a student’s education record without the student’s written consent as required by FERPA under §99.30.
Grades
The record of each student’s grades is kept on permanent file in the Office of Records and Registration. These records are permanent and are frequently referred to and supplied to outside sources such as employers, other educational institutions, etc. for the purpose of verifying a student’s education.
Transcripts
Requests for transcripts, with certain exceptions provided in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 will be honored only when they are received from the person whose record is being requested. Transcripts are produced within two (2) working days after receipt of request. Students requesting access to or copies of their records must provide adequate identification before their requests are granted. A transcript request bearing the student’s signature provides legal proof of identification.
Official transcripts furnished to educational institutions or prospective employers should be marked with the following statement: “In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, information from this transcript may not be released to a third party without written consent of the student.”
TBR Sources: 2:03:00:00: TBR Meeting, August 16, 1974; September 29, 1978; June 27, 1980, September 30, 1983; December 16, 1983; June 27, 1986; September 16, 1988; December 2, 1988; June 30,1989; December 7,1990; March 20, 1992; March 19, 1993; September 17, 1993; June 23,1994; December 8, 1994; December 15, 1995; March 7, 1997; June 19, 1998; September 22, 2000; April 2, 2004; December 8, 2006; June 28, 2007; June 24, 2010; Revised December 11, 2014.
The admission policy was revised in its entirety on September 30, 1983, superseding the previous policy and all amendments thereto. Revised January 1, 2014 per Tennessee Alternative Diploma Act to reflect change from General Educational Development (GED) Certificate to Tennessee High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma.
Revised at Board Meeting March 30, 2016; Revised at Board Meeting March 21, 2019; Revised at Board Meeting March 25, 2021; Ministerial Changes April 13, 2023; Ministerial Changes August 17, 2023; Ministerial Changes August 23, 2024; Updated Exhibit 2, October 29, 2024.
VSCC Source: Former II:09:30, July 23, 1997, President; II:09:31, December 13, 1988, President; II:09:32, December 13, 1988, President; II:09:37, July 23, 1997, President; December 16, 2008, President's Cabinet; August 6, 2025, President’s Cabinet
