This Training will help you understand the federal Family Educational Privacy Act requirements. The online training will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. After reviewing the materials, click “Take the Test”. Answer each quiz question with the most correct answer. You will need to achieve 100% on the quiz to complete the training, and you can take the quiz more than once. After you achieve 100% on the quiz, an email of “FERPA Training Completion” will be emailed to you and to the Registrar.
Thank you for taking this required training. Please contact the Registrar or review the FERPA Student Privacy Policy if you have any questions.
What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (1974) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records and is enforced by the Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education. Essentially, the law states that students have the right to:
- Inspect and review their education records.
- Seek to amend their educational records that are believed to be inaccurate.
- Demand that personally identifiable information be disclosed only with student consent (except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent).
- File with the US Department of Education a complaint regarding UW-Superior’s compliance with the requirements of FERPA.
- Receive annual notice of their FERPA rights and the categories designated as directory information.
Why does it matter if I comply with FERPA requirements?
If UW-Superior is found in violation of FERPA, all Title IV (federal financial aid) funding administered by the U.S. Department of Education could be in jeopardy. Since over 85% of the students attending UW-Superior receive some type of federal financial aid, it’s extremely important everyone comply with this law.
How does UW-Superior define a student?
A person, who attains the age of 18, or who attends an institution of higher education regardless of age, who is enrolled in a UW-Superior credit or non-credit course.
What does UW-Superior consider an education record?
An “education record” is any record handwritten or in any media, (including conduct records) that are directly related to a student and maintained by UW-Superior, or by a party acting for the institution. These records may contain a student’s name, social security number, student ID number, address, or any other piece of information that could be considered “personally identifiable.”
“Sole possession notes” (those made by one person and kept in the possession of the maker) are not considered education records. However, sharing these notes with another person or placing them in an area where they can be viewed by others will make them education records and, therefore, subject to FERPA.
What information is not considered part of an education record?
- Law enforcement or campus security records
- Employee records (unless contingent upon attendance)
- Medical records
- Alumni records
How does FERPA involve me?
Anyone who is employed by UW-Superior is affected by FERPA because all personnel have, to some degree, access to student information and must follow the law accordingly. Furthermore, many UW-Superior staff members have a “legitimate educational interest” in this information such that they need to review education records to fulfill their professional responsibilities. Hence, faculty, administration, classified and academic employees and other staff who have access to student record information can access this data as needed without student consent to do so.
Who has legitimate education interest?
School Officials who needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility such as:
- Performing a task that is specified in his/her position description or by a contract agreement.
- Performing a task related to a students’ education.
- Performing a task related to the academic or behavioral conduct of a student.
- Conducting research that benefits students and/or the University.
Who is considered a school official?
A person, organization, or company who is employed by, contracting with, or properly authorized by the Board of Regents, UW-Superior, or state law to perform administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support functions for UW-Superior.
This definition includes, but is not limited to:
- law enforcement personnel;
- health staff;
- certain appropriate students;
- field supervisors;
- contractors, such as attorneys, auditors, or collection agents;
- those properly authorized to serve as official board or committee members; or
- any others properly authorized to assist another school official in performing his or her professional responsibilities for UW-Superior.
What is Directory Information?
Information that is not normally considered a violation of a student’s privacy and, therefore CAN be released without the student’s written permission.
- Full Name
- Major or Program
- Previous Colleges Attended
- Full or Part-Time Status
- Home Town
- Photographs
- Academic Honors
- Email Address
- Athletic Achievements
- Athlete Height & Weight
- Class Level (Fr., So., Jr., Sr.)
- Address (campus & home)
- Withdrawal Date
- Dates/Terms Enrolled
- Degrees/Certificates Awarded
- and Date Conferred
- Phone number(s)
Student Restriction of Directory Information:
Students may submit a “Restrict Directory Information” form to the Office of the Registrar to prevent directory or non-directory information from being released. The form is valid until rescinded by the student
The Solomon Amendment:
This law requires universities to release the information listed below regarding enrolled students to the military for recruitment purposes. Students may restrict this disclosure to the military only by restricting all disclosure of Directory Information.
What is Non-Directory Information?
Information that is considered at violation of a student’s privacy and therefore MUST have a student’s written permission to release.
- Date of Birth
- Class Schedule/Roster
- Age
- Transcript
- Gender
- Citizenship
- Academic Standing
- Social Security Number
- Student Identification Number
- Parent Address(es)
- Race/Ethnicity
- Country of origin
- Entrance Exam Results
- Grades
- Semester Grade Point Average
- Cumulative Grade Point Average
- Student Account Information
- Financial Aid Information
Upon request, UW-Superior discloses education records without consent to officials of another institution that a student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled so long as the disclosure is for the purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer.
Student Release of Non-Directory Information:
Students may submit a “Release of Non-Directory Information” form to the Office of the Registrar to designate to whom non-directory information may be released; the form is valid until rescinded by the student.