Authorized Users
Selecting an authorized user makes paying tuition easier.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the rights of students and ensures accountability and privacy of education records. Students may designate an authorized user such as a parent, guardian, spouse, sponsor or other individual to access their student account, make online payments and receive Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protected account information.
To create an authorized user, students must log into their “MyCCRI Account” and complete the following steps:
• Select “My Account” tab
• Select “Authorized Users”
• Select “Add Authorized User”
Upon completion of the setup, two emails will automatically be sent to the authorized
user. The first email includes the login name and the link to the authorized user
website. The second will provide a temporary password.
Authorized User PDF
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law enacted by Congress in 1974 that affords students certain rights with respect to their education records including: • The right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of the day the community college receives a request for access. • The right to control disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. • The right to request amendments to their education records when those records are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy under FERPA or other rights.
For Students
FERPA guidelines prohibit the college from releasing specific student account information to anyone other than the student without the student’s authorization. CCRI utilizes the authorized user functionality within MyCCRI as a vehicle through which students can securely share their account information and allow parents or other individuals to make payments on their behalf.
For Parents
FERPA prohibits the Community College of Rhode Island from releasing student account information to a parent or guardian without the student’s consent, unless a student is legally dependent. Documents to substantiate dependency for FERPA purposes include a current IRS 1040 or 1040A return that names the student as a dependent and is valid for only one academic year. Upon receipt of a qualifying tax return, CCRI will release student account information by email, phone or mail to parents or guardians. Submitting a tax return does not automatically give parents or guardians online access to the student’s financial account. To ensure parents or guardians receive access to their student’s account information, they must be designated as an authorized user.