FERPA

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FERPA HEOAPrivacy and Security

• Federal Laws
• You need to know about

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FERPA

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
• and
• Safeguarding Student Data

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Welcome to FERPA

• Take a look around your work area. What
  information do you have which may need to be
  handled in a secure way?
• For example
• A college telephone directory?
• Student registration forms? Bill? FA award?
• Major declaration? Grades?
• Transcripts from other schools?
• Advising Information? VA paperwork?
• Student information displayed on your computer
  screen?

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FERPA

• The consequences of how we handle, or mishandle,
  student information are significant.
• What student information can you disclose and to
  whom, is defined under the Family Educational
  Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?

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FERPA is a federal law that protects students.
This law gives students four rights.

• The right to inspect and review education
  records.
• The right to seek the amendment of education
  records.
• The right to consent to the disclosure of
  education records.
• The right to file a complaint with the FERPA
  office in Washington, D.C.

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What are education records?

• Student education records are official and
  confidential documents protected by FERPA.
  Education records, as defined by FERPA, include
  all records which are related to a student and
  maintained by Doane.
• These records can be in any media handwritten,
  print, type, film, electronic, etc.

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Education records DO NOT include

• Personal notes by faculty/staff which are not
  shared with other (memory joggers)
• Law enforcement or public safety records
  maintained solely for law enforcement purposes

• Employment records where employment is not
  connected to student status
• Records related to treatment by a health care
  professional used only for medical treatment of
  the student

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Disclosure of Education Records

• Generally, the College must have written
  permission from the student before releasing
  information from the students record.
• One exception is categorized as directory
  information.

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Directory Information

• Certain information, known as Directory
  Information may be released without the
  students consent.
• Directory information at Doane is defined as
• Student name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Current enrollment status
• Major/minor field of study

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Directory Information contd

• Degree sought (BA, BS, MED, etc.)
• Expected completion/graduation date
• Degrees and awards received
• Awards and honors
• Participation in officially recognized activities
  and sports
• Weight and height of
• athletic team members
• Photograph

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Take Note!

• A student has the option to request that NO
  directory information be released. In order to
  maintain directory information as confidential, a
  student must notify the Registrars Office.
• If the student elects to have directory
  information remain confidential then NO
  INFORMATION CAN BE RELEASED!

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Access to student education records

• Under certain circumstances, confidential
  (non-directory) education records can be released
  without a students prior consent.
• For example, to comply with a lawfully issued
  subpoena or to school officials who have a
  legitimate educational interest (or a legal
  right to know).

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What is Legitimate Educational Interest?

• A Legitimate Educational Interest exists when the
  school official is

• Performing a task that is specified in his/her
  position description or contract
• Performing a task related to a students
  education or to student discipline
• Providing a service or benefit to the student
• Maintaining safety and security on campus

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Responsibilities

• Faculty, staff, and student workers have access
  to education records for the sole purpose of
  performing their jobs professionally, ethically,
  and responsibly. 
• They have a responsibility to protect the
  confidentiality of education records in their
  possession, regardless of the medium in which the
  records are presented.

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Safeguarding Data

• Proper hard copy disposal
• Use strong passwords
• Change passwords periodically
• Dont post your password
• Save files on Netfiles in folders only
• accessible by those that need access
• Empty the Recycle Bin
• Delete/Dispose of files on storage devices
• Avoid sending confidential data via E-Mail use
  secure file transfer instead

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Password selection

• Avoid common passwords like "password, your
  name, telephone number, repetitive or sequential
  strings.
• Intersperse punctuation marks or symbols such as
  , , , etc. Do not use a blank space.
• Use at least seven characters the more
  characters, the better (as long as you can
  remember them).
• Use special characters and numbers and a mix of
  CaSe
• Never write down your password and post it where
  easily accessible to others

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Doane web-based Secure File Exchange

• Doane File Exchange is an online file transfer
  service provided to Doane College faculty and
  staff.  Using Doane File Exchange, faculty and
  staff are able to send very large files to Doane
  College users, and off-campus users.You can
  learn how to use and access the file exchange on
  the technology website at About the File
  Exchagehttp//www.doane.edu/About_Doane/Offices/i
  ts/solutions/doane-file-exchange/File
  Exchangehttp//www.doane.edu/fileexchange

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Remember

• Access to Datatel/WebAdvisor does NOT authorize
  unrestricted use of student data.
• Records should only be used and created in the
  context of official business in conjunction with
  the educational success of the student.
• Curiosity does not qualify as a legal right to
  know.

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What about parentsor spouses?

• At the post-secondary level, parents have no
  inherent rights to inspect a students education
  records.
• The right to inspect is limited solely to the
  student.
• At Doane, information from the students records
  may be release to parents ONLY with the written
  consent of the student.

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2008 Updates/Clarification

• Colleges may disclose information about someone
  "if there is an articulable and significant
  threat to the health or safety of the student or
  other individuals."
• We wanted to strike that balance between privacy
  and safety and certainly emphasize that safety on
  a campus is paramount."
• Contracts with third parties who handle student
  information must reflect that the information is
  owned by the institutions and governed by FERPA.

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2008 Updates/Clarification contd

• Online students are protected under FERPA.
• Allow different colleges to share informationnot
  just related to admissions decisionsabout
  students who transfer.
• Clarify FERPA's "study exception," spelling out
  what must be included in agreements between
  institutions and groups conducting research with
  student data.

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A few important points

• Check a students directory restrictions before
  you answer any questions.
• Information may be released with a signed consent
  from the student.
• Information viewed on a computer screen should be
  treated with the same confidentiality as paper
  records.

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When in doubt

• When in doubt, DO NOT release information.
  Contact the Registrars Office for assistance.
• OOPS is not acceptable when it comes to
  disclosure of education records.

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Doane Policies

• For additional information or to review the
  complete Doane FERPA policy, visit the Doane web
  site at www.doane.edu/offices/registrar
• For a summary level the basic guidelines for
  appropriate use of technology, visithttp//www.
  doane.edu/About_Doane/Offices/its/help-and-support
  /get-protected/policies-and-guidelines/

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2008Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)

• Institutions Responsibilities

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Non-Financial Aid Disclosures

• Textbook Costs
• Peer-to-Peer file sharing
• Protection of Student Speech Association Rights
• Code of Conduct
• Transfer of Credit
• Graduation Information
• Campus Emergency Response and Evacuation
• Fire Safety
• Missing Persons
• Drug-Related Violations
• Penalties for Drug Violations
• Criminal Offenses
• Vaccinations