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
Where can parents find information about the requirements of a program?
Website
Catalog
Department
What's functions are within the Office of the Registrar's ?
Official Records
Transcripts
Graduation
Enrollment Verification
Course Management
Personal Information on Students
1. Is it wrong for professors to leave graded exams, papers, etc., outside their office for students to pick up?
Yes -
That is a violation of the privacy rule because it is inappropriate for students to have access to other students' information.
General Rule: You cannot leave personally identifiable materials in a public place.
2. An unauthorized person retrieves information from an employee's computer screen that was left unattended. Under FERPA, is the institution responsible?
Yes,
Information on a computer screen should be treated the same as printed reports.
General Rule: The medium in which the information is held is unimportant. No information should be left accessible or unattended, including computer displays.
Where can you find UMES' official FERPA policy?
It is located on the Office of the Registrar website under the Student tab.
At what point is one protected under FERPA at UMES?
Once a student has been admitted to UMES and a learner record has been created, they are protected under FERPA regardless of their registration status.
What's the minimum amount of credits a student should enroll if they want to complete their degree in 4 years?
15
How can parents stay informed?
Hawk Alert
Being list on student's FERPA contact
Email lists
Website
Social Media
3. You have been granted access to certain educational records in accordance with your duties at UMES. Since this is information to which you are entitled under FERPA, can you redisclose this information to any party?
NO -
FERPA states that you may not redisclose information without prior written consent.
General Rule: There are some occasions when this is allowable, such as release to organizations conducting educational studies, accrediting agencies, and judicial orders. Check with the Registrar before releasing information.
An institution is the recipient of a Title III grant. In the execution of that grant, one of the activities requires the institution to substantiate student attendance at a particular event within the classroom setting. The grant’s project director directs instructors to use the class roster to obtain each student participant’s signature. The instructor circulates the class roster around the room for students to sign, next to their names.
Is there a violation of FERPA policy?
NO
It is for a legitimate educational purpose
UMES suffers significant damage from vandals. As director of Public Safety, you investigate the incident and obtain students confessions. You share this information with the local police department and Student Life. Student Life intends to use the information to initiate disciplinary action against the students. Do the students involved have the right to inspect and review the records you have made of their confessions?
YES - Once the information is shared with Student Life, it becomes protected by FERPA and is subject to the right of inspection and review. Had it been shared only with the local police, students would not have a right to inspect because FERPA would not apply.
4. If a student's parent/guardian calls asking how a student is doing in class, can you give out that information?
No -
Even though the person inquiring may be the student's parent, FERPA recognizes students in post-secondary education as adults, regardless of age. Therefore, you cannot give out that grade, or any other non-directory information.
General Rule: You must assume that the student is an adult who is entitled to privacy, even from parents. Parents may (not must) be allowed access to the records if the student is a dependent according to tax code. Note: FERPA does not mandate that the school provide parents access to the records even if the parents can prove the student is a dependent. It is always best to obtain written consent from the student before providing parents access to records.
Is there a way for students to designate someone with whom university officials can interact?
Yes. UMES allows students to designate a proxy that can interact with university officials.
What is FERPA an acronym for?
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
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.
You are facing an emergency situation where you fear for the health and safety of the student or other individuals if you do not release certain protected information to a third party. Can you exercise judgment and release the information?
The health and safety of members of UMES is paramount and FERPA is not intended to increase the risk to individuals' safety in an emergency situation.
General Rule: There is a provision in FERPA which states you may release information from an educational record to an appropriate person "in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information is necessary to predict the health or safety of the student or other individuals."
5. A student's father presents a piece of paper signed by the student that states: "I consent to the disclosure of my education records to my father." The paper is signed and dated. The father proves to you that he is the father of the student in question. Does this constitute sufficient written consent under FERPA?
NO - This consent does not specify the records to be disclosed, the identity of the person to whom they are disclosed, or the purpose of the disclosure. Specific information concerning the records, the name of the person to whom the disclosure is made and the purpose of the disclosure must be presented in writing.