7000 Enrollment and Admissions Policies

7010 Honor Code

Policy Number: 7010
Policy Name: Honor Code

The Richard Bland College Honor Code policy is located in the RBC Student Handbook.

7020 Student Records and FERPA

Policy Number: 7020
Policy Name: Student Records and FERPA
Responsibility for Maintenance: Director of Records and Registration

1. Policy Statement 
   The College protects the privacy of student records and provides students with access to their own records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), a Federal law which requires that a written institutional policy be established and that a statement of adopted procedures covering the privacy rights of students be made available. The law provides a student the right to inspect and review information contained in his/her education record, to challenge the contents of the education record, and to have a hearing if the outcome of the challenge is unsatisfactory. The student may submit explanatory statements for inclusion in the files if the student feels the decision of the hearing panel to be unacceptable.
   1. Student Rights
      The law provides that the institution will maintain the confidentiality of student education records. Richard Bland College accords all the rights under the law to students in attendance at the College.
      1. Right to Inspect and Review: Students have the right to inspect and review their own education records within 45 days after the day the College receives a request for access. Education records available for inspection include, but are not limited to admissions, personal, academic, and financial files, as well as academic and placement records. Refer to the definition of Education Records in Section VI for more information. Students may have copies made of their records with certain exceptions (e.g., copy of the academic record for which a financial hold exists, or a transcript of an original or source document that exists elsewhere).
      2. Right to Request Amendment: If a student believes that information contained in the student’s education record is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise violates the student’s right to privacy, the student may request that the College amend the records(s). Initial requests for amendment of an education record should be made to the College Director of Records and Registration and may be resolved informally. If the College Director of Records and Registration decides not to amend the records as requested, the student will be notified of the right to request a formal hearing. Procedures for both informal and formal resolution of a request for amendment are outlined below in Section VII.
      3. Rights Concerning Disclosure: Students have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information from their education records except to the extent that FERPA or superseding law authorizes disclosure without consent of the student. Consent to disclose education records must be written, signed, and dated. Valid written consent must also specify the records that may be disclosed, the purpose for which they may be disclosed, and the persons or class of persons to whom the information may be disclosed.
   2. Disclosure of Student Education Records without Consent
      1. In general, the College will not disclose personally identifiable information from education records without prior written consent of the student. The College may disclose an education record or information from an education records when all personally identifiable information has been redacted, such that a reasonable person in the school community without special knowledge of the relevant circumstances would not be able to identify the student from the record. FERPA permits disclosure of education records in the following circumstances:
      2. Disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests. In general, such disclosures include those made to members of the Faculty or personnel in the Office of Records and Registration, the Office of the Provost, the Financial Aid Office, the Office of Student Success, Office of Residence Life, the Office of the President, and other College personnel as necessary for them in the exercise of their official duties. (See Section VI for the definition of school official.)
      3. Disclosures of directory information. At its discretion, the College may provide directory information in accordance with the provisions of FERPA and Va. Code §23.1-405.C. Students may withhold directory information from disclosure by notifying the Director of Records and Registration in writing within two weeks after the first day of class for each term. (See Section VI for the definition of directory information.)
      4. Disclosures to a Transfer Institution. The College may make disclosures of students’ education records to another educational institution where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.
      5. Disclosure to the student him/herself.
      6. Disclosures to parents of dependent students. The College may disclose personally identifiable information from education records to parents of a student considered a dependent for federal income tax purposes. The College may not presume tax dependency and musts obtain either a copy of the parents’ most recent tax return (financial information may be redacted) or an acknowledgment from the student that the student is in fact a dependent. This exception is generally not available for international students, whose parents generally do not file U.S. tax returns.
      7. Disclosures made in connection with a health or safety emergency. The College may disclose personally identifiable information to appropriate parties if the disclosure is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.
      8. Disclosures to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
      9. Disclosure to a court in connection with a lawsuit. If the student brings a lawsuit against the College, the College may disclose information from education records that is relevant to the action and does not relate to other students not involved in the lawsuit.
      10. Disclosure to parents of a student who has violated drug and alcohol rules. The College may disclose information from education records to parents of a student, who is under 21 at the time of the disclosure, if that information relates to the College’s determination that the student has violated the College’s rules regarding drugs or alcohol.
      11. Disclosure of the “final results” of a disciplinary proceeding. If the College determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of College policy or rules, then the College may disclose the final results of the disciplinary proceeding to the public. The final results are limited to the name of the student, the basic nature of the violation the student was found to have committed, and a description and the duration of any sanction the College imposed against the student.
      12. Disclosure to a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense. The College may disclose the final results of a disciplinary hearing to such a victim and may make such disclosure regardless of the outcome of the proceeding. The final results are limited to the name of the student, the basic nature of the violation the student was found to have committed, and a description and the duration of any sanction the College imposed against the student.
      13. Disclosure in connection with financial aid that the student has applied for or received. The College may make disclosures in connection with financial aid if the disclosure is for the purpose of determining the student’s eligibility for, the amount of, the conditions for the aid, or to enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
      14. Disclosure to authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U. S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as a State postsecondary authority that is responsible for supervising the university’s State-supported education programs. Disclosures under this provision may be made in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs.       These entities may make further disclosures of personally identifiable information to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf.
      15. Disclosures to accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
      16. Disclosures to organizations conducting studies for education institutions to develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; administer student aid programs; or improve instruction. Disclosures to these organizations are permitted if the studies are conducted in a manner that prevents personal identification of parents and students by anyone other than representatives of the organizations, the information is destroyed when no longer needed for purposes of the studies, and the institution enters into a written agreement with the organization specifically limiting its use of the information in these ways.
      17. Disclosures concerning sex offenders. The College may make certain disclosures that consist of information provided to the institution pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (commonly known as the Wetterling Act).
2. Reason for Policy
   FERPA is designed to protect the confidentiality of the records that educational institutions maintain on their students, give students access to those records, and assure the accuracy of those records. This policy has been established to inform students of their rights under FERPA, to inform employees, student workers, third party contractors and volunteers of Richard Bland College’s obligations under FERPA, and to describe the circumstances under which the College may disclose student education records.
3. Applicability of the Policy
   This policy applies to students in attendance at and employees of Richard Bland College. This policy governs the treatment of records directly relate to students and maintained by Richard Bland College.
4. Related Documents
   The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99)
5. Contacts 

6. Definitions
   “Attendance” includes but is not limited to attendance in person or by paper correspondence, videoconference, satellite, internet, or other electronic information and telecommunications technologies for students who are not physically present in the classroom. The College defines, in accordance with FERPA, the first day of class as the date when a student is first considered to be “in attendance.”“Directory Information” means information that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed, including, but not limited to:
   • Student name
   • Photograph
   • Date and place of birth
   • Major field of study; grade level
   • Enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate, full-time or part-time)
   • Dates of attendance
   • Degrees and awards received
   • The most recent previous education agency or institution attended by the student
   • Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
   • Height and weight of members of athletic teams

   “Education Records” means those records that are directly related to a student and maintained by the College or an agent for the College. Records may include documents, files, or other media in electronic or tangible form. Education Records do not include sole possession records, law enforcement records, certain employment records, treatment records, alumni records, or peer grades. For a full list of what the definition of education records specifically excludes, see title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 99.3.

   “School Official” means a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel, College Counsel, and health staff); a person serving on the Board of Visitors; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the College who performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing his or her tasks. 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 responsibilities for the College.

7. Procedures
   Requests for Inspection and Review:The law provides a student the right to inspect and review information contained in his/her education record, to challenge the contents of the education record, and to have a hearing if the outcome of the challenge is unsatisfactory. The student may submit explanatory statements for inclusion in the files if the student feels the decision of the hearing panel to be unacceptable. The Director of Records and Registration at Richard Bland College has been designated by the institution as the individual responsible for coordinating the inspection and review procedures for student educational records. These records include admissions, personal, academic, and financial files, as well as academic and placement records. Students wishing to review their education records must make written requests to the Director of Records and Registration listing the item or items of interest. Only records covered by the Act will be made available within forty-five days of the request. Students may have copies made of their records upon receipt by RBC of $0.15 per page within certain exceptions (e.g., copy of the academic record for which a financial hold exists, or a transcript of an original or source document that exists elsewhere). Education records do not include records of instructional, administrative, and educational personnel who are the sole possession of the maker and are not accessible or revealed to any individual except a temporary substitute, records of the law enforcement unit, student health records, employment records, or alumni records. Physicians designated by the student may review health records.

   Students may not inspect the following as outlined by the Act:

   • Financial information submitted by their parents
   • Confidential letters and recommendations associated with admissions, employment, or job placement honors to which they have waived their rights of inspection and review
   • Records containing information about more than one student

   In such cases, the institution will permit access only to that part of the record that pertains to the inquiring student.

   Requests for Amendment and Right to a Hearing:

   A student who believes an educational record contains information that is inaccurate or misleading or is otherwise in violation of privacy or other rights may discuss the problem informally with the Director of Records and Registration. If the Director of Records and Registration agrees with the student’s request, the appropriate record will be amended. If not, the student will be notified within a reasonable period of time that the record will not be amended, and the student will be informed by the Office of Records and Registration of the right to a formal hearing. A student request for a formal hearing must be made in writing to the Provost who, within a reasonable period of time after receiving such request, will inform the student of the date, place, and the time of the hearing. A student may present evidence relevant to the issues raised and may be assisted or represented at the hearing by one or more persons of their choice, including attorneys at the student’s expense. The hearing panel that will adjudicate such challenges will be the Provost, the Chief Development Officer, and the Chair of the Student Affairs Committee.

   The decision of the hearing panel will be final, and will be based solely on the evidence presented at the hearing. Notification will consist of written statements summarizing the evidence and stating the reasons for the decisions. The decision will be delivered to all parties concerned. Education records will be corrected or amended in accordance with the decision of the hearing panel if the decision is in favor of the student. If the decision is unsatisfactory to the student, the student may place in the education records statements commenting on the information in the records, or statements setting forth any reasons for disagreeing with the decision of the hearing panel. The statements will be maintained as part of the student’s record and released whenever the record in question is disclosed. Students who believe the adjudication of their challenges was unfair or not in keeping with the provisions of the Act may submit written requests to the President of the College for assistance. Students who believe their rights have been abridged may also file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office, 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington, DC 20202-8520, concerning the alleged failures of Richard Bland College to comply with the Act. Revisions and clarifications will be published as the law and RBC’s policy warrants.

   Copies of the College’s policy and procedures are available to students (and authorized parents of students) upon request at the Office of Records and Registration.

Policy History
Approved November 20, 2015
Updated January 11, 2017
Revised August 1, 2019

7030 Financial Aid Policies and Procedures

Policy Number: 7030
Policy Name: Financial Aid Policies and Procedures
Responsibility for Maintenance: Director of Financial Aid

1. Policy Statement
   The purpose of this policy is to ensure full federal and state compliance regarding the delivery of financial aid at Richard Bland College.
2. Reason for Policy
   This policy is intended to ensure that the College’s financial aid decisions are based upon sufficient information and are rendered in a manner consistent with applicable law.
3. Applicability of the Policy
   All College personnel who have a role in the financial aid process, and all prospective applications for financial aid, should be familiar with this policy.
4. Related Documents
   Richard Bland College Financial Aid Office Policies and Procedures Manual
   Department of Education’s website (IFAP)
   Federal Registers
5. Contacts

6. Definitions
   FAFSA (Federal Application for Federal Student Aid)
   SAR (Student Aid Report
   EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
7. Procedures
   Please refer to the Richard Bland College Financial Aid Policies and Procedures Manual.

Policy History
Approved November 20, 2015
Updated January 11, 2017
Updated August 1, 2019

7040 Recruitment and Admission Activities Performed by Independent Contractors or Agents

Policy Number: 7040
Policy Name: Recruitment and Admission Activities Performed by Independent Contractors or Agents
Responsibility for Maintenance: Director of Admissions

1. Policy Statement
   Any independent contractor or agent who engages in recruitment or other admission activities on behalf of the College shall comply with all applicable College policies, including but not limited to the Richard Bland College Code of Ethics. Independent contractors and agents must accurately represent the practices, policies, and accredited status of Richard Bland College at all times. All recruitment materials utilized by an independent contractor or agent that are not prepared in full by College employees must be approved by the President of the College or her designee prior to use.
2. Reason for Policy
   The purpose of this policy is to ensure that independent contractors and agents involved with College recruiting or admission activities are governed by the same principles and policies as College employees.
3. Applicability of the Policy
   This policy applies to all independent contractors and agents used for College recruiting purposes or admission activities.
4. Contacts

Policy History
Approved February 26, 2018
Updated August 1, 2019