What is FERPA?
What law protects the privacy of student education records and gives students control over who can access them?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Is a student’s official transcript considered an educational record?
Yes.
Can you talk to a professor about a student without permission?
No, you need written consent.
What is academic integrity?
Acting with honesty, fairness, and responsibility in academic work.
A student asks for grammar help on a take-home exam.
Violation. It is still an exam.
Under FERPA, who "owns" the educational records, the student or the university?
The student owns their records, and the university is the custodian.
Are private tutor notes educational records?
No, they are sole possession records.
Can you share your concerns about a student with the tutoring coordinator?
Yes. This is allowed under legitimate educational interest.
Why is academic integrity important for tutors?
Tutors must support learning and avoid giving students an unfair advantage.
You use a textbook’s practice quiz to review.
Not a violation. This is allowed practice.
What should you do if you are unsure about sharing student information?
Refer the person to the tutoring admin staff or the Registrar’s Office.
Are records of student discipline maintained by the university covered under FERPA?
Yes, if they are kept by the institution.
Are a student’s parents automatically allowed to access their records?
No. Only with written consent or in specific situations such as emergencies.
Can you complete all of a student’s homework if they are struggling?
No. Tutors should guide students but allow them to do the work themselves.
A student brings in a test they copied and asks for help understanding it. Violation or Not?
Violation. Supporting dishonest work is an academic integrity issue.
What qualifies as an educational record?
Any record related to a student and maintained by the institution, including grades, schedules, applications, or advising notes.
Are medical records from a campus health clinic protected by FERPA?
No. These are treatment records and are not considered educational records.
What should you do if asked about a student’s schedule?
Do not share any information. Refer them to the Registrar’s Office.
How can a tutor ethically help with a translation assignment in a foreign language course?
By guiding the student to understand each word and structure, not translating for them.
You guide the student step by step through every homework problem.
Violation. Tutors must guide, not do all the work.
Can you freely share a student’s directory information such as name or major with others? Why or why not?
Only if the student has not requested a restriction. If they have, you must respond by saying, "I have no information to provide."
If a student works on campus, are their employment records protected by FERPA?
Only if the position is tied to their status as a student. Otherwise, they are not protected.
What is the correct response when a student has restricted all directory information and someone requests it?
You must say, "I have no information to provide about that individual."
How should you help with missed exam content?
Use similar examples, not the real exam.
A student is allowed to collaborate on homework. You confirm this in the syllabus and help them through examples. Violation or Not?
Not a violation. If collaboration is permitted and the student is engaged, it is appropriate.