1. Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
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When complete, you will be asked to print off and sign a certificate confirming your completion of training.
June 2015

2. Understanding FERPA

3. What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act is a Federal Law that allows students certain rights with respect to their educational records.
Whose Rights are Affected?
Students
Parents
Schools

4. Student Rights The right to inspect and review education records.
The right to seek correction of education records.
The right to consent to the disclosure of education records.
The right to obtain a copy of the school’s FERPA policy
The right to file a complaint with the FERPA Office in Washington D.C.

5. Who is a Student?
Any person who attends or has attended Rockhurst University and for whom the institution maintains education records.
Student status begins the first day of the first term in which a student is in attendance.

6. What’s an Educational Record?
Official and confidential documents that contain information directly related to the student and are recorded and maintained by an agency, institution or party acting in its behalf.
A record can be in any media type:
Handwritten
Print
Computer
Videotape
Audiotape
Film
Microfilm

7. Education Records DO NOT Include:
Personal notes by faculty/staff which are not shared with others (memory joggers)
Medical Records
Employment records when employment is not contingent on being a student
Law enforcement/public safety records used only for law enforcement purposes
Information that was obtained when a person was no longer a student and was not related to the person as a student (i.e. Alumni Records)
Peer graded papers

8. Disclosure of Education Records
The student must give written permission before the university can release any information from the student’s record.
The only exception is directory information.

9. What is Directory Information?
“…information contained in an education record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.” (1988 Final Regulations)
The following can NEVER be Directory Information:
Student SSN
Student ID

10. Rockhurst defines Directory Information as:
Student’s Name
Address
Telephone
Address
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Class Level
Major Field of Study
Dates of Attendance
Photograph
Full time/Part time Status
Degrees
Honors
Awards
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
Most recent previous educational institution attended
Weight/Height of Athletic Team Members

11. Restricting Directory Information
Students may restrict the release of their Directory Information by notifying the Office of the Registrar in writing during the first week of an academic term.
The student Directory Information will be designated as confidential and will not be released outside the University except as permitted by FERPA.
Students restricting Directory Information will be marked with a “Confidential” at the top of their computer record.

12. When is disclosure without consent permitted?
FERPA allows disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.
A school official is a person:
employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff)
These officials act in the student’s educational interest within the limitations of their “need to know” in order to do their job.
a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent)
a person serving on the Board of Trustees
a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks

13. What About Parents?
Parents have no inherent rights to inspect a student’s education records at the post- secondary level.
Information in the student’s record may be released to parents only with the written consent of the student or proof of “dependent status”. Students in this case will be notified of the release before it takes place.

14. Updates
Clarification of “attendance” to include video, satellite, Internet, other electronic means used to conduct class
Allows for the return of education records to the provider or creator of record
Directory information can never include SSN, ID, or other electronic identifier
Expanded “school official” exception to include contractors, consultants, volunteers, etc.

15. Updates
Requires schools to use “reasonable methods” to ensure access given only to those with legitimate educational interest
School must have written agreement with organizations conducting studies for the institution
US Attorney General has authority to apply for ex parte court order

16. Updates
Now permits schools to disclose without consent information received under state notification program concerning student registered as sex offender
Schools must use “reasonable methods” to identify and authenticate identity of parents, students, school officials, and other parties
Clarifies disclosure of education records without consent in the case of health and safety of the student or others (Virginia Tech)

17. Updates
Allows schools to use name and ID in the classroom of students who have opted-out of releasing directory information
SSN may not be used to identify a student when disclosing or confirming directory information
The most important thing to remember is:

18. When in doubt…Don’t give it out!

19. Choose the correct answer
FERPA Quiz
Choose the correct answer

20. Parents can have access to their son or daughter’s education records at any time?
True
False OR

21. Right Answer Next Question
Parents may have access only with written permission of the student, through RU Parent/Guest Portal, or with proof of dependent status and only after the student is notified.
Next Question

22. Wrong Answer Next Question
Parents may have access only with written permission of the student, through RU Parent/Guest Portal, or with proof of dependent status and only after the student is notified.
Next Question

23. You have to give directory information to someone requesting it?
True
False OR

24. Right Answer Next Question
The law states that you “may” give out this information. You DO NOT “have” to.
Next Question

25. Wrong Answer Next Question
The law states that you “may” give out this information. You DO NOT “have” to.
Next Question

26. A student can request that directory information be kept confidential?
True
False OR

27. In this case the student record is marked “Confidential”.
Right Answer
In this case the student record is marked “Confidential”.
Next Question

28. In this case the student record is marked “Confidential”.
Wrong Answer
In this case the student record is marked “Confidential”.
Next Question

29. Information on the computer is not protected under FERPA?
True
False OR

30. Right Answer Next Question
Any record directly related to the student and is maintained by an agency, institution or party acting in its behalf is protected under FERPA. A record can be in any media type, handwritten, print, computer, video, audiotape, film, microfilm, .
Next Question

31. Wrong Answer Next Question
Any record directly related to the student and is maintained by an agency, institution or party acting in its behalf is protected under FERPA. A record can be in any media type, handwritten, print, computer, video, audiotape, film, microfilm, .
Next Question

32. It is ok to talk to parents about their son or daughter because, after all, they pay the bill?
True
False OR

33. Right Answer Next Question
Parents have no rights to student information unless given written permission, permission through RU Parent/Guest Access, or proof of dependent status. NOTE: A parent is given access to RU Parent/Guest Access by the student. This does NOT give a school official the right to discuss the record with the Parent/Guest.
Next Question

34. Wrong Answer Next Question
Parents have no rights to student information unless given written permission, permission through RU Parent/Guest Access, or proof of dependent status. NOTE: A parent is given access to RU Parent/Guest Access by the student. This does NOT give a school official the right to discuss the record with the Parent/Guest.
Next Question

35. Faculty have a right to inspect the educational records of any student attending without giving a reason?
True
False OR

36. Right Answer Next Question
Under the law a school official must have a “need to know” the information to do their job.
Next Question

37. Wrong Answer Next Question
Under the law a school official must have a “need to know” the information to do their job.
Next Question

38. You may give GPA information in a letter of recommendation without the student’s written permission?
True
False OR

39. Right Answer Next Question
If personally identifiable information obtained from a student’s education record is included in a letter of recommendation (grades, GPA, etc.) the writer is required to obtain a signed release from the student.
Next Question

40. Wrong Answer Next Question
If personally identifiable information obtained from a student’s education record is included in a letter of recommendation (grades, GPA, etc.) the writer is required to obtain a signed release from the student.
Next Question

41. It is permissible for a professor to post student grades on an office door if only a student’s social security number (or portion) is used?
True
False OR

42. Right Answer
Next Question

43. Wrong Answer
Next Question

44. Rockhurst University must annually notify students of their rights under the FERPA?
True
False OR

45. Right Answer Training Complete: Print, complete, sign and send in the
Certificate of Completion
to confirm that you have completed this online FERPA training.

46. Wrong Answer Training Complete: Print, complete, sign and send in the
Certificate of Completion
to confirm that you have completed this online FERPA training.