FERPA

FERPA Training All Faculty and Staff must pass a mandatory FERPA test before they may access Pathway student records, including class rosters and grade rosters. The FERPA training is offered via a course in BlackBoard. Detailed instructions for brand-new faculty are available here. Continuing or new faculty and staff who already have an SSO follow these directions: Log on to Blackboard with your SSO In the "Organization Catalog" section, click on "Browse Organization Catalog" Enter "FERPA" in the Search Catalog by Organization Name Contains box Click on the "GO" button It should pull up the FERPA Training (Spring 2008) course, click on the "Enroll" button on the far right to enroll yourself in the course. At the next screen, click Submit to confirm At the next screen, click OK, you will be taken to the FERPA Training course main page Click on the "Assignments" button in the left-hand menu Read through the assignments and take the practice quizzes. You must take the Final Exam at the bottom of the page and get a score of 35 out of 50 in order to pass. Once you have passed, your score will be automatically sent to the Registration & Records office and you will receive a confirmation e-mail when your Pathway access is available.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is also known as the Buckley Amendment.  It is a compilation of federal regulations passed by Congress in 1974.  The purpose of FERPA is to provide rights to students and their families with regard to access and privacy of academic records. All questions regarding student academic records should be directed to the UMKC Registrar's Office. The Registrar's Office manages official student records and serves as the initial contact on all FERPA issues. FERPA guarantees students at the postsecondary level the right to inspect and view their academic records.  It also prohibits UMKC from releasing information from a student's record to any third party unless the student authorizes the release.  However, the regulations which may be found in 34 CFR Part 99, outline several exceptions to the general rules stated above.  For details on the UMKC implementation of FERPA, please refer to the General Catalog appendix section "Policy on Student Records." Who is a Student? UMKC defines a student as someone who has been admitted and who has registered in one or more classes at UMKC. What records are covered by FERPA? All personally identifiable records except those that remain in the sole possession of the maker of the record, such as an instructors grade book, are covered by FERPA Do parents have any FERPA rights? At the secondary school level, parents have a right to review the student's records but that right is transferred to the student at the post-secondary school level.  The parent does not have a right to inspect the records of the student. EXCEPTION: Parents of dependent students as defined in the IRS Code of 1974 Section 152 are given the same rights to access as those given the student.  UMKC requires a copy of the most recent federal income tax return to prove dependent status. Parent FERPA Information Parent/Spouse FERPA Consent Form What is directory information? Directory information includes: name, local and permanent address, local and permanent telephone numbers, email address, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most previous higher education institution attended and the full-time or part-time enrollment status of students. EXCEPTION: UMKC will release directory information to third parties without the permission of the student. FERPA gives students the right to restrict directory information.  A form for the purpose of restricting directory information appears in the Schedule of Classes each semester or online.  Students who want to restrict directory information should complete the form and submit it to the Registrar's Office. Directory Information Restriction Form (PDF) If a student has restricted directory information, UMKC will not disclose any information regarding that student to third parties without a signed, written release from the student (unless the release is authorized by one of the exceptions as outlined in FERPA ). How do I inspect my record for errors? FERPA gives students the right to review their record for errors and to seek resolution if they find what they consider to be an error in their records.  Students should contact the Assistant Registrar to arrange a time to review their academic record if they believe an error is on their record. UMKC has up to 45 days to respond to a student request for a review of their records, but in most cases the review takes place within two working days of the request. What might be in a student's record that the student cannot inspect or review? Students cannot gain access to documents which contain information on other students (such as a grade roll for a class).  Documents which contain financial information about the student's parent(s) are also excluded from review by the student.  If letters of recommendation are in the student's record, and if the student has waived his or her right to review those letters of recommendation, they too are excluded from review. Students may review but may not make copies of transcripts from other institutions that might be on file in their UMKC record. FERPA requires that students be given the right to review but it does not guarantee students the right to make copies of documents in their record. Who can I contact for more information on FERPA? The Family Policy Compliance Office located in Washington D.C. answers questions on FERPA for institutions and students and their families.  Their web page is located at: http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/index.html