Connecting the dots…: information sharing by post-secondary educational institutions under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Abstract

Misunderstanding of privacy laws and regulations impedes appropriate information sharing by post-secondary educational institutions under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (‘FERPA’). Post-Virginia Tech regulatory amendments allow institutions to ‘connect the dots’ regarding a student's behavior and to be proactive in problem resolution. The article encourages university officials to re-examine FERPA, to eliminate restrictive information sharing barriers not required by the law or regulations, to educate faculty and staff on the scope of student information dissemination and offers a clear and concise policy and process to help fill this crucial gap in campus crisis action planning documents.

Keywords:

• FERPA
• privacy
• student information

Notes

1. See Mass shootings at Virginia Tech, April 16, 2007, report of the review panel, Chapter III Timeline of events 21–30. Retrieved 16 July 2008 from http://www.governor.virginia.gov/TempContent/techpanelreport.cfm.

2. Wilcox, Dennis, and Glen T. Cameron. 2010. Public relations: Strategies and Tactics, 9th ed., p. 558 Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. This book summarized the Report of the Review Panel contents.

3. 2007 report of the review panel, supra note 1, at 2.

4. 2007 report of the review panel, supra note 1, at 2.

5. US Department of Health and Human Services. 2007. Report to the President on issues raised by the Virginia Tech Tragedy, 13 June 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2008 from http://www.hhs.gov/vtreport.html.

6. US Department of Health and Human Services. 2007

7. § 513 of P.L. 93-380 (The Education Amendments of 1974), codified at 20 U.S.C. § 1232g.

8. Congressional Record 120: 39862 (daily ed., 13 December 1974) (Joint statement in explanation of the Buckley/Pell Amendment).

9. Jensen v. Reeves, 45 F.Supp.2d 1265, 1276 (D.Utah 1999).

10. Rosenzweig, Ethan M. 2002. Comment. Please don't tell: The question of confidentiality in student disciplinary records under FERPA and the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act. Emory Law Journal 51: 447, 451 (footnotes omitted).

11. Warren and Brandeis. 1890. The right to privacy. Harvard Law Review 4: 193.

12. Warren and Brandeis. 1890.

13. Warren and Brandeis. 1890.

14. Warren and Brandeis. 1890.

15. Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965).

16. Griswold v. Connecticut, at 484.

17. Griswold v. Connecticut, at 479 (footnotes omitted).

18. Griswold v. Connecticut, at 485 (citations omitted).

19. Legislative history of major FERPA provisions (last modified 11 February 2004). Retrieved 18 March 2008 from http://www.ed.gov/print/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/leg-history.html.

20. Legislative history of major FERPA provisions.

21. Frazier v. Fairhaven Sch. Comm., 276 F.3d 52, 69 (1st Cir. 2002).

22. See supra note 8, at 39862–6.

23. Frazier v. Fairhaven Sch. Comm., 276 F.3d at 69.

24. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

25. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

26. P.L. 93-568,31 December 1974, effective 19 November 1974 (Buckley/Pell Amendment); P.L. 96-46, 6 August 1979 (Amendments to Education Amendments 1978); P.L. 96-88, 17 October 1979 (Establishment of Department of Education); P.L. 99-514 22 October 1986 (Tax Reform Act 1986); P.L. 101-542 8 November 1990 (Campus Security Act); P.L. 102-325 23 July 1992 (Higher Education Amendments 1992); P.L. 103-382 20 October 1994 (Improving America's Schools Act); P.L. 105-244 7 October 1998 (Higher Education Amendments 1998); P.L. 106-386 28 October 2000 (Campus Sex Crime Prevention Act); P.L. 107-56 26 October 2001 (US Patriot Act 2001); P.L. 107-110 8 January 2002 (No Child Left Behind Act).

27. Department of Education Family Education Rights and Privacy Proposed Rule, 73 Fed. Reg. 15,574-15,602 (24 March 2008) (to be codified at 34 CFR pt. 99). ‘These proposed regulations are needed to implement amendments to FERPA contained in the USA Patriot Act and the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, to implement two US Supreme Court decisions interpreting FERPA, and to make necessary changes identified as a result of the Department's experience administering FERPA and current regulations. These changes would clarify permissible disclosures to parents of eligible students and conditions that apply to disclosures in health and safety emergencies; clarify permissible disclosures of student identifiers as directory information; allow disclosures to contractors and other outside parties in connection with the outsourcing of institutional services and functions; revise the definitions of attendance, disclosure, education records, personally identifiable information, and other key terms; clarify permissible redisclosures by state and federal officials; and update investigation and enforcement provisions’. Retrieved 2 June 2008 from http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-5790.pdf.

28. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

29. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

30. 34 CFR § 99.1.

31. 34 CFR § 99.1(c)(2).

32. Overview Financial Aid—US Department of Education. Retrieved 29 May 2008 from http://www.ed.gov/finaid/landing.jhtml?src=rt.

33. Overview Budget Office—US Department of Education. Retrieved 29 May 2008 from http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/index.html?src=gu.

34. 34 CFR § 99.2.

35. 20 U.S.C § 1232g(a)(1)(A).

36. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(4)(A).

37. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

38. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

39. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

40. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(4)(B).

41. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(1)(A).

42. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(1)(A).

43. 34 CFR § 99.3.

44. 34 CFR § 5(a).

45. Congressional Record 120: 39863.

46. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(1)(C).

47. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(1)(D)(2).

48. 120 CONG. REC. at 39862.

49. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(a)(1)(D)(2).

50. Congressional Record 120: 39862.

51. 34 CFR § 99.30(a)–99.31.

52. 34 CFR § 99.32.

53. 34 CFR § 99.33.

54. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b); 34 CFR § 99.31–99.39. The exceptions are listed in the Appendix.

55. 34 CFR § 99.60.

56. Congressional Record 120: 29863.

57. 34 CFR § 99.63–99.64.

58. 34 CFR § 99.64–99.66.

59. 34 CFR § 99.67.

60. Frazier v. Fairhaven School Committee, 276 F.3d 52, 68 (1st Cir. 2002), quoting 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1).

61. Frazier v. Fairhaven School Committee, 276 F.3d 52, 69. See 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(f).

62. Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo, 534 U.S., 426 (2002).

63. Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo, 534 U.S., 428.

64. Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo, 534 U.S., 429.

65. Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo, 534 U.S., 430.

66. Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo, 534 U.S., 435.

67. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 273 (2002).

68. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 276.

69. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 278.

70. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 280, quoting Pennhurst State Sch. & Hosp. v. Halderman, 451 U.S. 1, 28 (1981).

71. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S.

72. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 282, quoting Blessing v. Freestone, 520 U.S. 329, 340 (1997).

73. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 283.

74. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 285, quoting Chapman v. Houston Welfare Rights Org., 441 U.S. 600, 617 (1979).

75. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 287.

76. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S.

77. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 288.

78. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 289.

79. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S., 290.

80. Gonzaga University v. Doe, 536 U.S.,

81. Drury, Allen. 1961. Advise and consent, Giant Cardinal ed., p. 320. New York: Doubleday & Co.

82. 34 CFR § 99.31(a)(1) and 34 CFR § 99.31(a)(1)(i)(B).

83. 34 CFR § 99.31(a)(2).

84. 34 CFR § 99.36.

85. Wilcox and Cameron. 2010. Public relations.

86. Williams, Mara Rose, and Laura Bauer. 2009. KU acts against underage drinking. Kansas City Star, 6 May, p. A1.

87. Williams and Bauer. 2009.

88. Williams and Bauer. 2009. p. A13.

89. Williams and Bauer. 2009.

90. Williams and Bauer. 2009.

91. Williams and Laura. 2009. pp. A1, A13.