Get Your Students Hired
Comment on Katherine Hillerich's post: I've worked at a couple places, where looking at your own health records using your hospital/office credentials is actually illegal under the HIPAA law, unless you have signed the release of records form. I guess, in that instance it depends on where you work, but under FERPA this is not allowed regardless.
Security protocols for staff with access to educational records; nuances of release of information and record dispute process.
If an employee is also a student at the same school, they should follow the same protocols for accessing their educational record and not allowed to access it outside of following the normal procedure to maintain the integrity of the student record.
Again, FERPA is something extremely important for providing the protection to our students. This was a refresher on this topic as I do FERPA trainings annually!
Smatt
A student has a right to dispute a grade or record even if the information is not changed in which a note of dispute would be included. Alumni records are not protected under FERPA? Student records cannot be destroyed if they are the process of an inspection or review. I found that if a student has not paid their fees that they can be denied a copy of transcripts but may view them only. Sadly, due to tragic events in the past laws like FERPA were created to protect students from violence, stalking or other risk factors to the student.
I thought that FERPA only referred to when the student was enrolled. I learned that students who have left an institution are still protected under FERPA.
I agree with Joyce and Lisa that employees should have regular trainings for new as well as veteran employees. The rules and regulations of FERPA are extensive. It is important that institutions and their employees maintain the confidentiality of student records.
I found it interesting that school records can be released with consent of next of kin after death.
Even though a student has rights to his/her educational records each institution should establish guidelines for accessing. There are specific guidelines for an active student that may not apply to an alumni, former student or a deceased student. Knowing the procedures for release of information, will allow me to maintain the integrity of the student's educational records.
Learning about the challenges faced with protecting student's private information while also trying to comply with regulations for releasing records for legal or health reasons.
Making sure good security measures are active is just as important and making sure files personal information is behind locked doors.
This section was helpful to define the student lifecycle and how FERPA applies to those situations.
I appreciate that the student can add a note to their record if an issue they have is not resolved to their satisfaction.
I learned that if the student is no longer student in the Insititute he or she has no protection by FERPA for the records, also if the student he is employee in the same institute he has no right to have access to his record, he must go through the normal Chamales.
The continuation of what I have been learning about the release of student information.
I did not realize that state Laws and FERPA may be counter to each other. I would have loved more information on what to do when that happens.
The key takeaway for me is that the institution must have policies to ensure the privacy of educational records. There are many instances where employees do NOT have the right to students' grades but may have access.