Transcript Skidmore College FERPA Family Education Rights & Privacy Act What is FERPA? Student FERPA Rights • It is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of.

Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
What is FERPA?
Student FERPA Rights
• It is the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
• The right to inspect and review
their own educational records.
• Is also referred to as the Buckley
Amendment.
• The right to seek and amend
education records.
• FERPA is enforced by the U.S.
Department of Educations’
Family Policy Compliance Office.
• The right to have some control over
the disclosure of information from
the education records.
Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
When do FERPA Rights Begin for
a Student?
What are Education Records?
• When the student is “in attendance”
as defined by the institution.
• Records that are directly related to a
student and are maintained by the
institution.
• For Skidmore College that means
when the student has paid an
enrollment deposit.
• These records can exist in any media
form: handwritten, print, computer
generated, film, tape, email, etc.
Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
Why Comply with FERPA?
• It is the Law.
• Failure to comply could result in the
withholding of Federal Funds,
including Student Financial Aid.
• It is Skidmore’s responsibility to
hold student records in confidence
in order to protect their privacy.
What Information might be handled
in a secure way?
Any part of a student’s record that is not listed as
“directory information”
• Registration Forms
• Financial Information
• Social Security Number
• Transcripts
• Student Information displayed on
your computer screen
• Grades
• Student Schedules
• Class Assignments
• Class Rosters
Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
What information can be
released?
Forward all requests for student information to the
Registrar’s Office
• 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
with a legitimate educational interest.
• Information needed by certain
government agencies.
What is “directory information”?
• Is information that can be released
without the student’s written consent
(unless the student has placed a confidentiality hold on
their record)
- colleges, to some extent, can determine what
information is classified as “directory information”.
Directory Information at Skidmore includes:
photographic image, name, address, telephone #, e-mail
address, date & place of birth, major field of study, class
year, participation in official sports & activities, weight &
height of members of athletic teams, dates of
attendance, enrollment status, degrees & awards
received, and most recent previous educational
institituition attended.
Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
Who can access Non-Directory
Student Information?
REMEMBER
When in doubt – don’t give it out!
• ONLY Skidmore College
employees who have a legitimate
educational interest.
• Access to Student Information via the
Student System or other computer
software does not authorize
unrestricted use of that information.
• No one, including parents, may
obtain non-directory information
unless Skidmore obtains a signed
consent from the student.
• Information on a computer should be
treated with the same confidentiality
as a paper copy.
Legitimate Educational Interest
A School official’s need to review student education
information to fulfill a responsibility as part of his or her
contract.
• Curiousity is not a valid reason to
view student information.
• Records should only be used in the
context of official business.
Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
IMPORTANT
• Do not leave confidential information
displayed on an unattended computer.
• Cover or put away papers that contain
confidential informtion if you are going
to step away from your desk.
Forward all requests for student
information to the Registrar’s Office.
Record Disposal
• Records containing social security
numbers, grades or any nondirectory information about a student
should be shredded, not just thrown
in the garbage.
Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
Hints for Faculty to Avoid FERPA Violations
Please:
• 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 Student Name and SSN/Student ID.
• Do Not provide anyone with student schedules.
• Do Not provide anyone with lists of students enrolled in your classes.
• Do Not include confidential information (i.e. grades, # of credits) in a
recommendation letter without the written consent of the student.
Skidmore College
FERPA
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
Thank you for your cooperation in protecting the privacy of
our students!
If you have further questions, please contact the Registrar’s
Office at 518-580-5710.
Source: Regents University
http://www.regent.edu/admin/registrar/documents/FERPAWorkshop.ppt