The Basics
What year was the FERPA put into place?
1974
Records directly related to a student that are personally identifiable and are maintained by the institution or a party acting for the institution are called:
Education Records
Which agencies must comply with FERPA?
All education institutions and agencies (even K-12)
Notes that are made and kept by one individual and are not accessible to all are not subject to FERPA. These notes are called:
Sole Possession Notes (However, if you share them, they are no longer exempt and can be released if requested)
Which office do I contact if I mistakenly commit a violation?
Office of the Registrar at registrar@oglethorpe.edu. Also, please contact us if you suspect someone else has committed a violation or you think a violation may occur.
Where can you find OU's official FERPA policy?
It is located on the Office of the Registrar website, scroll to the FERPA link.
What is FERPA an acronym for?
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Yes or No: In order to receive Federal funds under any program administered by the DOE, entities must comply with FERPA.
Yes! Some examples of funding include Title IV aid, Federal grants for research projects, etc.
Does FERPA pertain to athletes?
Yes. FERPA pertains to all students who have matriculated, regardless of their athletic status. However, height and weight are considered "directory information" because of this.
What happens if a university is found with a FERPA violation?
The institution can lose their Title IV funding
Is there a way for students to designate someone with whom university officials can interact?
Yes. OU allows students to designate a proxy that can interact with university officials.
The demonstrated "need to know" by school officials who act in a students' educational interest is known as:
Legitimate Educational Interest
Yes or No: FERPA requires institutions to send an Annual Notification of Rights to all students.
Yes.
Can OU release non-directory information when students' health and safety are at stake?
Only if it is determined necessary to protect the health and safety of the student and/or other individuals. Call the Registrar's Office for assistance if a situation like this arises and we will help.
Who is the FERPA Privacy Officer at OU?
The University Registrar
FERPA is sometimes referred to as __________, after its congressional author.
The Buckley Amendment (fun fact, he was also the first Republican to call for Nixon's resignation)
Information contained in an education record of a student "that would not generally be considered harmful" or an invasion of privacy if disclosed is called:
Directory Information
If a student's record is marked Confidential, can you still give out directory information?
No. If a student's record is marked confidential, they have filled out a Privacy Restriction form which prevents the university from releasing any information about the student.
Are postsecondary institutions required to provide information to military recruiters at their request?
Yes, but please send them to the Office of the Registrar.
How many days does OU have to establish an appointment for a student to review their official records?
45 days which is in alignment with the Federal requirement.
What does FERPA govern?
The release of records maintained by the University and access to those records
At what point is one protected under FERPA at OU?
Once a student has been admitted to OU and a learner record has been created, they are protected under FERPA regardless of their registration status.
FERPA requires universities to have a way for students to opt out of directory information release. What is this called at OU?
Privacy Restriction (Student Records Release). The forms can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.
Yes or No: Providing lists of students who are eligible for honors society membership or to alumni foundation is a violation of FERPA.
NO. OU employees who serve as the contact for an honor society or a foundation CAN have access to do their job, but they cannot distribute these records to outside parties.
List 3 things you can do daily to reduce the likelihood of a FERPA violation.
There are many tips and tricks you can do to protect student privacy and data. Let's hear some of your great ideas!