FERPA Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act What information is protected? What isn’t?

Directory Information is NOT PROTECTED Directory Information is NOT PROTECTED. Each institution defines directory information somewhat differently. At UI, it includes these: Name, local and permanent address, local telephone number  Hometown and state E-mail address University of Iowa Hawk ID Programs of study and degree objective Colleges enrolled in Dates of attendance (including current classification or year)   Full-time and part-time enrollment status Photographs and video recordings of students in public and non-classroom settings Honors, scholarships, and awards received and date awarded and those applied for in current term Participation in officially recognized activities and sports Job title, employing department, work phone number, and work address when employed in a position that requires student status 

Students, however, may restrict access to this directory information—except for name and email address.

Academic Summary Standard Name: HawkID: University ID: Email Alias: Residing Address/Phone Home Address/Phone and much more. Students must be told every year by UI that they have FERPA rights to restrict their directory information access.

Academic records may not be shared with others without the permission of the student unless there is a “legitimate” reason. The student’s official records may be found in MAUI, a UI campus-wide data base standing for “Made at the University of Iowa.” But information from the student record may be found in many other places, including on graded materials, notes from a meeting about a student, and correspondences or emails etc.

What is a legitimate reason?

What is “legitimate”? Do you need the information to carry out your duties? Does the purpose relate to the student’s health or safety? Will it be used by the receiver in an appropriate way?

Remember. . . . A student may grant permission for University personnel to disclose or discuss the academic record to people of their choosing. Check to see if the student has signed this release form (see next page) allowing you to view FERPA protected academic records.

Additionally, some parents have a “guest account.” BUT “The ability to view information in MyUI (Student Information) through a guest account does not constitute a waiver of FERPA restrictions.”

Time for the Exam!

You want to assign students into small study groups that will meet outside class time. Can you share student’s first and last names and UI email addresses with the class?

A student wants you to write a letter of recommendation A student wants you to write a letter of recommendation. You need to mention her GPA and grades earned in your courses. During a meeting, she tells you that is fine (she is an A+ student!) and you write the letter. Would this violate FERPA?

Your department gives out undergraduate awards and two students sit on the committee making decisions about this year’s winners. Can these students review their peers’ academic records?

You like to share exam grades so students can see how others did You like to share exam grades so students can see how others did. You pass these results out in class on a sheet of paper, listed by student UI ID number. You collect the sheet at the end of the discussion about grades and how to study.

During a meeting, a student tells you of ongoing depression and a suicide attempt two weeks ago. What does FERPA allow or not allow in this case? What should you do?

University Counseling Service Helping Students in Emotional Distress: A Guide for Faculty and Staff Programs/Workshops/Consultations Threat Assessment Resources and Services Emergencies Coping with Trauma--Skills for Facilitators Responding in the Aftermath of a Tragedy/Loss Kognito - Kognito is an online, easy to use, avatar based training program to assist you with identifying the markers for suicidal thinking and intent and then shares with you resources for the University of Iowa campus.  IOWA CODE 29

A father calls and wants to discuss the reasons his student failed two exams in a row in your class. He has a Guest account and sees all the student’s grades and midterm alerts about poor grades, any way and he insists on your feedback. He’s a lawyer, by the way! What should you do?

You have a high school student in your math class who is only 15 You have a high school student in your math class who is only 15. Can you talk to the parents about the student’s academic progress without the student’s consent ?

Is your FERPA compliance up to date. Find out Is your FERPA compliance up to date? Find out. Go to UI Employee Self-Service and then to your Learning and Development box. Choose My Training and then in the top banner of the next page, My Compliances.