1. Records on Campus: “Privacy vs. Public Records…the Balancing Act”
Jodi Adamchak, R.B. Friedlander, Jane Haughney
January 31, 2008

2. The Laws
Florida Statutes, Chapter 286, the “Open Meetings Law,” often referred to as the “Sunshine Law” protects the public from “closed door” decision making and provides a right of access to governmental meetings.
Florida Statutes, Chapter 119, the “Public Records Law,” creates a right of access to records made or received in connection with official business of a public body.

3. Public Records Law Application
Public records law applies to USF records
Applies to all types of records including letters, notes and s
To be broadly construed, exemptions narrowly construed

4. Public Records Exemptions
USF records which are exempt from public disclosure include:
Social Security numbers
Medical information
Personnel information prior to 7/1/95
Academic evaluation of job performance
Disciplinary records while discipline is in process
Student records under FERPA
Certain research records

5. Public Records Generally
Requests can be:
Verbal or written
Made by any person
USF has a “reasonable” time to respond
USF can charge the cost of retrieving records to the requestor if the amount requested is voluminous
Brief discussion of some records not subject to disclosure

6. FERPA & RELATED STATUTES
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act: 20 USC 1232(g) (U.S. Code)
Federal Register Enabling FERPA: 34 CFR 99 (Code of Federal Regulations)
Florida Definition of Student Records: Fla. Statute
Florida Public Record Law: Fla. Statute

7. FERPA APPLIES TO…
All schools that receive federal funding under most programs administered by the Secretary of Education.
FERPA regulates: (a) the privacy aspect of the records in keeping them from the public and (b) the right to access afforded the student.

8. FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
Three primary rights afforded to the student are:
right to inspect and review records;
right to seek amendment of the records;
right to consent to disclosures of information unless the disclosure falls into one or more of the exceptions under 34 CFR

9. Recap:

10. Public Records vs. Student Records
Florida Statutes Chapter 119
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act 20 USC 1232 (g) Florida Statute
Creates a Right of Access to records made or received in connection with the official business of a public body
Exempts from public records: Educational Records
Other Exemptions:
Broadly defines educational records but allows disclosures for specific reasons
SS#
Medical/Psychiatric
Purely Personal
Disciplinary Investigations

11. Release of documents via legal process – Typical Questions:
What do I do when a process server appears and insists on serving me with legal documents?
Direct the process server to the office of the General Counsel.
If the process server “drops and runs” fax the documents to
Legal documents often have time deadlines so please fax the documents the day you receive the documents.

12. I received a letter/telephone call from an attorney/reporter asking for medical records, personnel records, payroll records, student records and all s relating to one of my employees. What do I do now?
Save all s responsive to the request by printing or archiving the s in a folder if the s are numerous;
Pull the responsive personnel records;
Redact confidential information (SSN);
Forward the medical record request to the Medical Clinic attention Patty Rhodes or send to the Office of the General Counsel and call at the General Counsel’s Office for more specific advice.

13. and to produce medical records. What do I do?
I received a telephone call/letter asking me to provide dates and times for a deposition
and to produce medical records. What do I do?
You may handle calendar issues directly with the attorney’s office but do not release any confidential information to the attorney.
The medical records can only be released with a court order, written authorization or proof that the requestor has informed the patient and that the patient has not objected to the release of the records.
Forward the medical record request to the Office of the General Counsel or to Patty Rhodes at the USF Medical Clinic, MDC 33, fax #

14. What if…
I can…
 I have been out of the office and just discovered a request for records and a subpoena for deposition/trial that has not been calendared or processed. The deadline for producing the records has passed and the deposition/trial is set at a time I cannot attend.
Contact the attorney’s office with at least three alternate dates and times for the deposition or to discuss when you can testify during the trial. You do not need to discuss any confidential information at this time-just arrange for your appearance. Fax the documents to the Office of the General Counsel’s Office for processing. If the documents were sent to you by the Office of the General Counsel, follow the instructions in the cover memo. You may be able to bring the records to the deposition/trial or the records may have already been produced by a USF record custodian. You can be subject to contempt if you do not appear at trial/deposition.

15. hypothetical:
Local newspaper contacts the University Office of Admissions and requests a list of all faculty and students involved in an academic support service and how much the faculty are paid for that additional service?
National organization seek all USF research contracts entered in 2007.
A candidate for a job you just received at USF seeks your salary and personnel file

16. Frequently asked questions:
Do I have to speak to a parent or attorney about a student’s performance? 
Who produces records that are subject to a public records request? 
Is it permissible for students to fax or electronically sign a release?