Transcript FERPA Quiz - Mineral Area College

Information for
Mineral Area College Faculty
and Staff
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To be allowed access to student records, you
must carefully review the following material.
Maintaining confidentiality of student
records is everyone’s responsibility whether
you are faculty, staff, or a student.
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Because it is the right thing to do!
Because the federal government requires us
to do so!
This tutorial is designed to give you a base level knowledge of the
rules governing release of student information.
Start Tutorial Now
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It stands for the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act of 1974.
Also known as the Buckley Amendment.
FERPA is enforced by the Family Policy
Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of
Education.
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A law that only pertains to public institutions.
A law that is only applicable to offices that
handle grades.
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The right to inspect and review their own
education records
The right to seek and amend education
records.
The right to have some control over the
disclosure of information from the education
records.
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Any record, with certain exceptions,
maintained by an institution that is directly
related to a student or students. This record
can contain a student’s name(s) or
information from which an individual student
can be personally (individually) identified.
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These records include files, documents and
materials in whatever medium (handwritten,
print, tapes, disks, film, microfilm,
microfiche) which contain information
directly related to students and from which
students can be personally (individually)
indentified.
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All of the student information and records
kept by this office and all of the information
on the Student Administration System are
considered to be “Education Records”.
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Student educational records may be:
 A document in the registrar’s office
 A computer printout in your office
 A class list on your desktop
 A computer display screen
 Notes you have taken during an advisement
session (see next slide for more information on
notes)
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Sole possession records are exceptions to
advisement or personal notes. These are
records that are maintained and viewed by the
advisor only and applies in situations when the
record is an “informal memory jogger”. A
record or note made in conjunction with a
student such as drafts of Degree Plans, Plans
of Study or tentative schedules; however, are
not sole possession records.
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Employment records – of those whose
employment is not contingent upon being a
student.
Medical records – created by a health care
professional used only for the medical/health
treatment of the student.
Most information contained in Alumni Records
(donations, etc.).
Classroom activity and homework that does not
become part of the student’s permanent record.
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It is the Law
Failure to comply could result in the
withholding of Federal Funds including
Student Financial Aid
Lawsuits caused by violations cost time and
$$$.
It is our ethical responsibility to hold student
records in confidence in order to protect their
privacy.
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Students who are or have been in attendance
at a postsecondary institution and for whom
the institution maintains education records
are covered under FERPA.
Applicants who are denied admission or who
never attend are not covered under FERPA.
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Personal notes – kept by a faculty/staff
member if kept in the sole possession of the
one who made the record. (FERPA is a
“protection of records” law, not a
confidentiality law.)
Law Enforcement Records – maintained
solely for law enforcement purposes and
revealed only to law enforcement agencies.
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When the student is “in attendance” as
defined by the institution.
For Mineral Area College that means when
the student has matriculated (officially
registered) for the first time.
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Any part of a student’s record that is not listed
as “directory” information.
• Registration forms
• Financial information
• Social Security numbers
• Transcripts
• Student schedules
• Grades
• Class assignments
• Class Rosters
• Student information displayed on your computer
screen
Directory information(unless the student has
placed a confidentiality hold on his/her record).
 Information that the student has given written
consent to release.
 Information needed by employees who have a
legitimate educational interest.
 Information needed by certain government
agencies.
Forward all requests for student information to
the Registrar’s Office!
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It is information that can be released without
the student’s written consent (unless they
have placed a confidentiality hold on their
record).
Each college can determine what is classified
as directory information.
In order to protect the privacy of our
students, Mineral Area College generally does
not provide lists of directory information to
outside parties.
Please forward all requests for information to
the Registrar’s Office.
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ONLY Mineral Area College employees who
have a legitimate educational interest.
Legitimate Educational Interest: A school
official’s need to review student education
information to fulfill a responsibility as part of
his or her contract. Need to know is the
basic principle.
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FIRST, remember to forward all requests for
student information to the Registrar’s Office.
Financial Aid Lenders.
Agents of the court when the college has been
issued a subpoena or court order.
Appropriate individuals in an emergency in order
to protect the health & safety of the student or
other persons.
Under the Solomon Amendment – military
recruiters.
• Name
• Local & permanent address
• Telephone number
• Date of birth
• Major/field of study • Awards received
• Dates of attendance • Full-time/part-time status
• Degrees/certificates awarded (including dates)
• Weight/height of member of athletic teams
• Most previous educational institution attended
• Participation in officially recognized activities and
sports
Note: It does not include e-mail addresses.
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Once a student enrolls at Mineral Area
College, the right related to the educational
records belong to the student, not the
parent, even if the parents are paying the
bills.
The only information that can be released to
parents or a spouse without the student’s
written permission is the “Directory
Information”.
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Access to student information via Jenzabar or
other computer software does not authorize
unrestricted use of that information.
Information on a computer should be treated
with the same confidentiality as a paper copy.
Curiosity is not a valid reason to view student
information.
Records should only be used in the context of
official business.
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WHEN IN DOUBT – DON’T GIVE IT OUT!
Forward all requests for student
information to the Registrar’s Office!
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Do not leave confidential information
displayed on an unattended computer.
Cover or put away papers that contain
confidential information if you are going to
step away from the desk.
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Records containing Social Security numbers,
grades, or any non-directory information
about a student should be shredded, not just
thrown in the garbage.
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Do Not use the SSN/Student ID to post
grades.
Do Not leave graded tests in a stack for
students to sort through.
Do Not circulate a printed class list with the
Student Name and SSN/Student ID.
Do Not provide anyone with student
schedules or assist anyone other than MAC
employees in finding a student on campus.
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Do Not provide anyone with lists of students
enrolled in your classes for any commercial
purpose.
Do Not include confidential information (i.e.
grade, number of credits) in a letter of
recommendation without the written
consent of the student.
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Do Not discuss the progress of any student
with anyone other than the student
(including parents) without the written
consent of the student.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation
in protecting the privacy of our students!
If you have further questions, please contact
the Registrar’s Office at 573-518-2103, 2119,
or 2204
Click to begin the FERPA Quiz.
Mineral Area College
Is it wrong for professors to leave graded
exams, papers, etc. outside their office for
students to pick up?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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.
Next
An unauthorized person retrieves information
from a computer screen that was left
unattended. Under FERPA, is the institution
responsible?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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.
Next
You have been granted access to certain
educational records in accordance with your
duties at MAC. Since this is information you are
entitled to under FERPA, can you disclose this
information to any party?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
FERPA states that you may not redisclose
information without prior written consent of the
student.
General Rule: There are some occasions when this is
allowable, such as release to organizations conducting
educational studies, accrediting agencies and judicial
orders.
Next
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 this information?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
The health and safety of members of the MAC
community are paramount and FERPA is not intended to
increase the risk of individuals’ safety in an emergency
situation.
General Rule: There is a provision in FERPA which states that 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 protect the health or safety of the student or other
individuals.”
Next
If a student’s parent calls asking how a student is
doing in a class, can you give out that
information?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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 the 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 form the student before providing parents
Next
access to records.
You receive a call from a recruiting firm asking for
names and addresses of students with a GPA of 3.0
or better. They say they have good job information
for these students. Can you help these students
get jobs by giving out this information?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
Although we all want to help students get good jobs,
that request should be sent to the appropriate office.
General Rule: Do not give out student information that pertains to grade point
average to anyone without prior written consent of that student. Though
Directory Information (e.g., names, addresses, etc.) may be given out, if it is
filtered against non-Directory Information (e.g., GPA), prior student written
consent is required. In this case the request should be forwarded to the
Registrar’s Office. ALL outside requests for any information should be referred
to the Registrar’s Office. Information about the recruiting firm could be
provided to students in the appropriate major.
Next
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?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
This consent does not specify the records to be
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.
Next
You receive a phone call from the local police
department indicating that they are trying to
determine whether a particular student was in
attendance on a specific day. Since they are in the
middle of an investigation, are you allowed to give
them this information?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
There must be a subpoena presented to you to access
the information. If pressured to respond to the subpoena
immediately, FERPA requires notification of the student,
unless it is specially stated on the subpoena that the
student must not be notified.
General Rule: There must be prior written consent or a legally
binding subpoena. Should you be served with a subpoena,
contact the Registrar’s Office immediately.
Next
You get a frantic phone call from an individual who
says she is a student’s mother and must get in
touch with her immediately because of a family
emergency. Can you tell her when and where her
next class is today?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
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Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
For the safety of the student, you cannot tell
another person where a student is at any time.
General Rule: When this situation arises, follow
prescribed MAC procedures.
Next
Tom Faculty has posted his grades of all the
students in his class on the wall outside of his
office. Is this a violation of FERPA?
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz
The answer depends on how he posted the grades. If the
grades are posted by name, social security number or
something that can be fairly easily interpreted by a third
party, then “yes” it’s a violation of FERPA. If, for example
the grades are posted by some “code” known only by the
student and the instructor, then it may be OK . But we
would still not recommend the practice.
Next
Mineral Area College
You have completed the FERPA tutorial and quiz. You are well on
your way to becoming an expert on student confidentiality rights. If
you have completed this tutorial and quiz as part of your Mineral
Area College employment, please click Finish to access the form that
verifies your completion of the FERPA tutorial and quiz.
Otherwise, thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with
student confidentiality rights as outlined under FERPA.
On Campus Contact:
Linda Huffman, Registrar
573-518-2204
FERPA Website:
www.ed.gov/offices/OM/fpco/index.html
Finish
Mineral Area College
FERPA Quiz is Complete!
Please click either the student or MAC employee form below. Print
the appropriate form, complete and sign it, then return to the
Office of Human Resources.
MAC Employee Statement of Understanding
Student Employee Confidentiality and Agreement
Return to the beginning of the FERPA Quiz.