[VPAAEtal] FERPA Reminder

[Academic Affairs]

Hello, All.

 

The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974
identifies the rights of students and their families with respect to
student educational records kept by institutions.  The following
information provides some useful guidelines to go by. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Registrar's
Office for assistance.   

 

Here is a link to the Faculty/Staff FERPA Pamphlet:  
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/registrar/pdfs/FERPAFacStaff.pdf

 

Guidelines for Faculty and Staff 

*	Directory information on individual students may be made
available publicly by the appropriate educational record custodian. 
*	Staff using the Banner system should review the student's
academic record using form SGASTDN. 
*	If a student has placed a confidentiality flag on their records,
NO INFORMATION may be given out or discussed with anyone other than the
student.  In this case, when logging in to Banner, if such a flag is in
place, you will see the following notice as soon as you access the
student's record:

 

*	Information from a student's educational record may be shared
among University officials who have legitimate educational interests. 
*	Access to a student's educational records by school officials is
restricted to that portion of the record necessary for the discharge of
assigned duties. 
*	The release of non-directory information to parties outside of
the University is restricted to the appropriate educational record
custodian and only if the custodian has a signed and dated authorization
to release statement from the student. 
*	The University does not provide mailing lists to any third party
for either commercial use or for solicitation of any product or service.


Good practice by faculty and staff members requires that they maintain,
use, and report student data in compliance with the requirements of 
FERPA <http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html>  and the
University's Policy. The following statements provide practical
guidelines to follow:

1.	Do refer requests for student record information to the proper
educational record custodian. 
2.	Do keep only those individual student records necessary for the
fulfillment of your teaching or advising responsibilities. 
3.	Do keep any personal records relating to individual students
separate from their educational records. Private notes of a
professor/staff member concerning a student that are intended for
professor's/staff member's own use are not part of the student's
educational record. 
4.	Do insure privacy when asking for student ID. When on the
telephone, be aware that the student may not be in a private
environment. 
5.	Do ask for only the last four digits of the ID on exams and
other documents, when needed, to identify different students with the
same name. 
6.	Do properly dispose of all papers and documents that contain the
ID. 
7.	Do not include the ID in the subject line of an e-mail message. 
8.	Do not include the complete ID in the body of e-mail messages
and attached documents. 
9.	Do not include the ID on any document mailed by surface mail
where the ID is visible on the document or in a window envelope. 
10.	Do not display student scores or grades publicly in association
with the student name, ID, social security number, or other personal
identifier. Scores or grades may be posted using a code known only to
you and the student. 
11.	Do Not put papers or lab reports containing student names and
grades in publicly accessible places. Students are not to have access to
the scores and grades of others in the class. 
12.	Do Not request information from the educational record custodian
without a legitimate educational interest and the appropriate authority
to do so. 
13.	Do Not share student educational record information with other
faculty or staff members of the University unless their official
responsibilities provide for a legitimate educational interest. 
14.	Do Not ask for the ID on any document that will be viewed by
anyone other than a University employee with an educational need to
know. Examples: 

	*	On exams, homework assignments and attendance rosters -
if other students may view these documents. 
	*	On questionnaires, surveys and other documents
soliciting additional personal information. 
	*	On checks payable to the University or to the student. 
	*	On non-academic documents or an appointment sign-in
sheet.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Judy Vergara

University Associate Registrar

Texas A&M University - Commerce

P.O. Box 3011

Commerce, TX  75429-3011

903-886-5069 - Office

903-886-5888 - Fax

 

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