A FERPA Panel Discussion

1. A FERPA Panel Discussion Panelists:Rodney L. Parks University Registrar Jana Lynn Patterson Associate Vice President for Student Life Dean of Student Health and Wellness Jodean Schmiederer Associate Dean of Students for Leadership and Honor Code Student Privacy: What You Should Know

2. What is FERPA? • Stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 • Law applies to postsecondary institutions and K-12 schools • Governs • Disclosure of educational records • Access to records

3. Essence Inspect and review educational records Request the amendment of inaccurate records Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the education record File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures of the institution to comply with this law

4. Who must comply? Any educational institution or educational agency that receives funds administered by the US Secretary of Education

5. Who has FERPA rights? FERPA rights begin when a “student” enrolls at a postsecondary institution regardless of age “Student” applies to all students – distance education students, former students, graduated students, etc. International students who come to study at Elon University are covered by FERPA just as domestic students. That means, in general, third parties can't receive non-public or suppressed-public information without written permission or a stated need to know in order to perform assigned job duties.

6. How does Elon comply? • Annual notification to students • Explain FERPA information • How to change indicator • Maintain FERPA site • Provide training to students, staff, and parents • Maintain disclosure indicator

7. What is Directory Information? • Directory information is information contained in an educational record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed • Elon defines the following as Directory Information: • Name • Address • Telephone Number • Dates of attendance • Previous institutions attended • Major • Awards • Honors • Degree (including dates) • Past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities • Physical factors (height, weight of athletes) • Date and place of birth • Elon email address

8. What is Prior Consent for Release? • Students must provide a signed and dated written consent before a school official may disclose educational records or non-directory information • The consent must: • Specify records that may be disclosed • State the purpose of disclosure • Identify party or class of parties to whom disclosure may be made

9. Exceptions to Prior Consent Directory Information School officials with a legitimate educational interest Federal, state, and local authorities conducting an audit, evaluation, or enforcement of “ED” programs Organizations conducting studies on behalf of Elon To accrediting organizations To comply with judicial order or subpoena In connection with financial aid In a health or safety emergency To parent/guardian if the student was: responsible for violating our alcohol, drug, or academic integrity policies and put on Official Warning or higher; placed on disciplinary probation or preliminary suspension, suspended, or removed from housing.

10. What is allowable? Protecting or securing confidential information Release student information to the student when his or her identity can be positively identified – Elon email is allowed Posting grades to Moodle Handing students graded work directly to each student (making sure that grades are not visible with identifier when returning student work) Providing student information to school officials with a legitimate education interest Checking for student restriction Understanding that directory information can be shared with 3rd parties without student consent if the student does not have a restriction Shredding unneeded confidential documents (i.e. personal notes and emails about specific students)

11. What is NOT allowable? Sharing directory information without a written release from a student who has a restriction Sharing information about students without consent Emailing students any confidential information using accounts other than Elon email Posting confidential information to other websites, emails, addresses, blogs, etc. Releasing a student’s class schedule Asking students in the class to hand back graded work to other students Leaving graded student work in a public area Posting grades using identifiable data Sharing or discussing education records with colleagues unless a legitimate educational interest exists Throwing away education records

12. Questions? Rodney Parks: rparks4@elon.edu – x6670 Jana Lynn Patterson: patters@elon.edu – x2875 Jodean Schmiederer: jschmiederer@elon.edu –x5323 For further information about FERPA, contact the Family Policy Compliance Office US Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave. S.W. Washington, DC 20202-5920 202-260-3887