What is FERPA?FERPA is the legislation that gives students the right to:

Inspect and review their education recordsSeek to amend their education recordsHave some control over the disclosure of

information derived from their education records

FERPA gives universities the responsibility to protect the privacy of those records

What if we violate FERPA? Federal funding for financial aid and

educational grants could be lost Legal action could be taken against the

university A student could be put in jeopardy

Who is a Student? Any individual who is, or has been, in attendance at Valparaiso University

Personally Identifiable Information

Includes, but is not limited to: Student’s name Name of the student’s parent or other

family members Address of the student or student’s family Social security number or student ID

What is an Education Record?Any record that: Contains information that is personally

identifiable to a student

Some possible formats: Handwriting Database Print

What an Education Record is not:

Sole possession records Employment records Law enforcement records Alumni records Health records

Who is entitled to access student records?Other than the student: School officials with a legitimate need to know Outside contractors doing university business Anyone else the student designates, but ONLY

after the student has provided a signed and dated written consent to release information

One way to think about this is to say that the student “owns” all information about him/herself that the university maintains, and controls who gets access to it.

Legitimate need to knowDo I need this information to fulfill my professional

responsibility?Examples: Instructors do not need to know a student’s grade

in all classes, but Advisors do Housing staff do not need to know a student’s

academic schedule Most faculty and staff do not need to know

whether a student is on academic probation Most faculty and staff do not need to know

whether a student has financial aid

Information that may be sharedInformation that generally would not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Students may request that all information should remain private

Shared information never can include:Social Security number/student ID numberRace/ethnicityGenderGrades/GPACountry of citizenship

FERPA requires…Without a student’s written permission, you CANNOT:

Release ANY information outside the University:

Acknowledge/verify that someone is enrolledWrite a letter of recommendationTalk with someone’s parents or spouse about

him/her on ANY topic

What must I do?

Limit physical access to records and files Verify the identity (check the ID) of a person

receiving records or information Become familiar with who needs to know what

kind of information

What must I not do? Release information over the telephone, even to

the student Provide ANY INFORMATION to anyone other than

the student, unless you have a signed release or consent form, or the person has a legitimate educational need to know

Serve as a reference via letter or telephone without a student’s written consent

Help a frantic relative locate a student

What about parents and spouses?

When a student reaches the age of 18, or begins attending a postsecondary institution regardless of age, FERPA rights transfer to the student

Parents and spouses may obtain information only by obtaining a signed consent from their child/spouse

FERPA FERPA gives students rights and universities

responsibilities Education records are anything personally

identifiable about a student The only people who legally have access to

specific education records are those who have a legitimate need to have that information to do their jobs

Parents and spouses have no right to student education records

Things to remember… Do I need this information to do

my job?

Keep confidential student information private and secure within the university

Release NO student information to anyone outside of the university without a dated release signed by the student