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The
Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act of 1974, as amended (FERPA)
The
following information must be carefully
reviewed by anyone requesting access
to student records.
The
Federal Government requires UND and all
its employees to comply with all Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act provisions.
It
is good for our students; it's good for
us; and it's the law.
Whether
you are faculty, staff, or student, maintaining
the confidentiality of our students' records
is everyone's responsibility.
The
Office of the Registrar hopes the following
pages will help you better understand FERPA
and feel comfortable dealing with student
privacy issues. Please contact our office
if you have any questions.
What
is FERPA?
FERPA
stands for the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (also known as the Buckley
Amendment). Passed by Congress in 1974,
FERPA is a Federal law designed to protect
the privacy of education records, to establish
the right of students to inspect and review
their educational records, and to provide
guidelines for the protection of inaccurate
and misleading data through informal and
formal hearings. The Act grants specific
rights to the student:
- The
right to inspect and review their education
record.
- The
right to seek amendment to those records
and in certain cases, append a statement
to the record.
- The
right to limit disclosure of personally
identifiable information contained in
their record.
- The
right to file a complaint with the U.S.
Department of Education
What
student information may be released?
Typically,
the only student information which may
be released without the student's
consent is called "directory information" and is not
normally considered a violation of a person's privacy unless
restricted by the student. This information is limited to the
following:
- Student's
name
- Address
- Telephone
listing
- E-mail
address
- Date
and place of birth
- Major
or minor fields of study
- Class
level
- Participation
in officially recognized activities/sports
- Weight
and height of athletic team members
- Degrees
and awards received
- Dates
of attendance
- Names
of previous
institutions attended
- Enrollment
status (full-time/part-time)
What
is a student's educational record?
It is ANY record, file, document or other material (handwritten, tape,
disks, film, etc.) which contains information directly related to a student's
academic progress, student financial information, student worker information,
medical condition or personal interest item. IT IS MORE THAN JUST THE
ACADEMIC RECORD, and is NOT confined to the student's file in the Registrar's
or college office and may include, but is not limited to:
- A
document with the student's name and
NAID number
- Personal
information
- Grades
- Schedules
- Tests
and other graded projects
- A
computer printout
- A
class list
- A
computer display screen
- Notes
taken during an advisement session
| What
are the basic rules? |
| • |
Student
education records are considered confidential
and may not be released without the
written consent of the student. |
• |
As a staff or faculty member with access to these records, you have
the responsibility to protect them while in your possession. |
• |
Some information is considered public (directory information) and
may be released without the student's written permission. However,
the student has the right to restrict this information as well.
Do not release directory information without checking to be sure
it is not restricted. If you do not know how be sure to call
the Office of the Registrar for more information. |
• |
Access to these records is for legitimate educational interest only-for
the purposes of completing your responsibilities as an employee
of the institution acting in the student's educational interest. |
• |
If you are in doubt about releasing student information, DO NOT release
the information until you have contacted the Registrar's Office
at 777-2711. |
• |
The Registrar's Office has primary responsibility for ensuring FERPA
compliance, but the law requires all faculty and staff to treat
student's education records in a legally specified manner in
order to ensure student records remain secure. |
SPECIAL NOTE FOR FACULTY
To
avoid violations of FERPA rules, DO NOT:
| • |
Display
student' scores or grades publicly. |
• |
Link the name of a student with any part of that student's social
security number or EMPL in any public manner. |
• |
Leave graded papers and tests unattended or have students sort through
papers of other students to reach their own. |
• |
Circulate a printed class list with student name and social security
number, EMPL, or grades as an attendance roster. |
• |
Discuss the progress of a student with anyone other than the student
(including parents/spouses/employers) without the consent of
the student. |
• |
Provide anyone with lists of students enrolled in your classes for
commercial or any other purpose. |
• |
Provide anyone with a student's schedule or assist anyone in finding
a student on campus. Refer inquiries to the Office of the Registrar. |
To
Complete the NDUS FERPA Training
for PeopleSoft Access Please Click
Here
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Other
FERPA
Information Sources
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