Student Rights and Responsibilities

Student Appeals Procedures

A student has the right to appeal any academic or disciplinary matter in which they feel unjustly treated by following the College's appeals procedures outlined in Memorandum #4 and in the Student Handbook. 

Student Complaint Procedures

The College has various avenues through which a student may lodge a complaint related to the College.  General complaints about the College may be made via the College's online confidential complaint portal.  Once received, the College will direct the student and the complaint to the appropriate process.  Complaints regarding Student Conduct matters (i.e., discipline, academic dishonesty or grade appeals) should be made via the student appeals procedures set forth in the Student Code of Conduct.   Additionally, information on making external complaints is available on the College’s Consumer Information page. For more information about the College’s complaint procedures, students can also review the Student Handbook. 

Student Code of Conduct

Every student is expected to be fully acquainted with and comply with all policies, rules, and regulations outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. The Student Code of Conduct is contained in the Student Handbook, is updated and published online prior to the start of each new academic year. 

Student Identification Card

All credit students at the College are required to have a College photo identification card. It is the student's official College identification. Photo ID cards are used for admission to the campus and access to its facilities. A valid ID card is required for various student services on campus such as all in-person transactions, checking out materials in the library, access to computer labs and using the Athletics Center.

Students who for religious or other reasons require a student identification card without a photo may make arrangements through the Security office.

Your card must be shown upon request by any faculty member, security officer or any other official member of the College staff. You also may be asked for other identification to prove who you are. You must show it if requested.

Abuse of an ID card could result in disciplinary action by the College. If the card is lost or stolen, contact the Security Office, Room MG-12, for information on replacing it. Each additional replacement is $10.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic integrity emphasizes fairness and honesty in academic study and communication and is a shared commitment and responsibility of students, faculty, and administrators. Conduct involving violations of academic integrity standards may be found in the the Student Code of Conduct contained in the Student Handbook.

Judicial Affairs

The Judicial Affairs officer, located in the Office of the Dean of Students, Room S1-10, is responsible for administering the College's Judicial Affairs program. The Student Code of Conduct provides the specific policies and procedures for governing student behavior. All students are expected to become familiar with their rights and responsibilities and the standards of student behavior as outlined in the Student Handbook under the Student Code of Conduct.

Right to Know Law

Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, Community College of Philadelphia has established a Right to Know Office. The Vice President for Human Resources and General Counsel is the College's Right to Know Officer. Requests for information pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law should be directed to //RTK [at] ccp.edu (RTK[at]ccp[dot]edu). For additional information, click here.

Privacy of Student Records - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Community College of Philadelphia accords all the rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 to its students. The College collects, maintains, secures and destroys student records for the educational welfare and advancement of students. This act is intended to protect the privacy of educational records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal or formal hearings.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

  1. The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access.

    Students should submit to the director of Student Records and Registration, 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.

  2. The right to request the amendment of the student's education 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.

  3. The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

    One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, 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 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 responsibility.

  4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Community College of Philadelphia to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

    Family Policy Compliance Office
    U.S. Department of Education
    400 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Washington, DC 20202

The College, at its discretion, may disclose directory information upon request without consent. The College has identified the following as directory information: student's name; program of study; dates of attendance; and degrees, honors and awards received along with dates.

Currently enrolled students may, under the provisions of FERPA, withhold disclosure of such information. To prevent disclosure, written notification must be received by the Office of Student Records and Registration by October 1 of the fall semester and February 15 of the spring semester.

The College will honor each request to withhold the information listed above but cannot assume responsibility to contact a student for subsequent permission to release it. Decisions about withholding information should be made very carefully. Should a student decide to inform the College not to release information, any future requests for such information from non-institutional persons or organizations will be refused.

Community College of Philadelphia assumes that failure to request the withholding of directory information indicates approval for disclosure.

Social Security Number

In order to access the College's portal, MyCCP, or online services, a system-generated student identification number must be used with a personal identification number (PIN) provided by the College. In addition, the College requires the Social Security Number (SSN) as a condition of enrollment. Although it is not used as the primary student identification number, the SSN is required for tax reporting, financial aid processing and educational tracking purposes. Community College of Philadelphia will not disclose the SSN without student consent unless required to do so by federal, state or local law.

Photo/Video Release Agreement

Community College of Philadelphia uses photographic, video and/or digital images taken of students on College property and at College events, as well as quotes provided by students, in publications, advertisements, promotional materials and audiovisual productions associated with marketing and/or student recruiting.

Currently enrolled students may request not to be photographed or videotaped by sending written notification to the Office of Student Records and Registration by October 1 of the fall semester and February 15 of the spring semester.

Community College of Philadelphia assumes that failure to request in writing not to be photographed or videotaped demonstrates approval for the College to use images in its marketing and/or student recruitment materials.