At first glance, FERPA seems straightforward: Protect private information. Don鈥檛 give it out without express written permission.
But that鈥檚 never the whole story, and the nuances of FERPA can turn a simple information request into an unnavigable legal maze. 秀色直播 can help you follow the clues and crack the case.
Track down leads
When you have a FERPA-related request, the first thing you must do is figure out what area of the law is applicable, says 秀色直播 senior fellow and FERPA expert LeRoy Rooker.
鈥淭here are three primary rights at stake in FERPA,鈥 Rooker says. Once you determine that you鈥檙e dealing with a maintained education record鈥攖he subject of FERPA statutes鈥攜ou have to decide which of the following areas of the law is relevant:
Access. The first category deals with situations where the student has requested access to their own records. Although it seems obvious that they have a right to their own information, it鈥檚 not always so cut and dried鈥攕uch as when the record deals with another student鈥檚 protected information.
Amendment. Under certain circumstances, the student has the right to seek a change to his or her academic records.
Disclosure. This part of the statue addresses how officials should handle third-party requests鈥攆or example, from a financial aid provider, such as the Veteran鈥檚 Administration, or another school official, such as a professor.
Without written consent from the student, you must determine whether or not the information is protected鈥攁nd then, decide whether the request meets the standards for one of the 16 exceptions to the requirement for consent, Rooker says. Those exceptions include situations involving subpoenas, parents of a dependent student, health or safety emergencies, substance abuse, and violent offenses, just to name a few.
Although FERPA requests can feel like the plot of a legal drama, remember: 秀色直播 has a top-notch team of investigators who can give you the tools you need to help solve the case.
Autopsy: Real cases, real consequences
秀色直播鈥檚 preconference workshop will give attendees practical tools and tips for solving complex privacy problems.
Participants will work with actual FERPA case studies from the mundane to the bizarre, deconstructing the legal questions issue-by-issue. National FERPA experts will be on hand to help guide attendees as they examine each situation and determine, based upon the evidence and interpretation of FERPA guidelines, the most appropriate course of action.
Join the investigation
By building knowledge and confidence in applying FERPA, participants will come away with the tools to protect their students and institutions鈥攁nd maintain their own professional integrity.
To become a better FERPA investigator, join Rooker; Tina Falkner, Director, Continuity and Compliance, University of Minnesota; and Traci Gulick, Associate Registrar for Academic Records and Certification Services, Michigan State University, for this in San Francisco鈥擲unday, April 14th, from 12:30 to 3:30pm鈥攊mmediately preceding the Annual Meeting.
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