FERPA QUIZ

The FERPA rights of a student begin

when the student enrolls for classes

SMU must release any information identified as directory information by the institution to anyone upon request. (T/F)

False

A former student has the same right to inspect and review his record as a student who is currently attending the institution. (T/F)

True

Which of the following is not an "education record" under FERPA?

a student's traffic violation

In writing a letter of recommendation, it is permissible for a faculty member to include a student's grades without obtaining the student's written permission since the student requested the faculty member to write the recommendation and provided a copy of her resume with the requested information to the faculty member. (T/F)

False

o It is permissible for a professor to post student grades on an office door if only a student's social security (ID) number (or portion) is used. (T/F)

FALSE: The public posting of grades either by the student's name, SMU ID number or social security number (or portion), without the student's written permission, is a violation of FERPA. Even with names obscured, numeric student identifiers are considered personally identifiable information. Randomly assigned numbers or code words that only the instructor and student know can be used to post grades and are not a violation of FERPA. However, the posting order should NOT be in alphabetical order.

Faculty have a right to inspect education records of any student attending their college without giving a reason. (T/F)

False

It is permissible to distribute graded examinations by placing them on a table for students to pick up after class. (T/F)

False

You receive a phone call asking to verify: 1) a currently enrolled student attended your institution, 2) what his address was at the time of attendance, 3) his degree received, and 4) his GPA. According to FERPA, you can verify all of these except the student's:

GPA

You receive a phone call from excited parents saying that there is a family emergency and they need to get in touch with their daughter immediately. Can you tell the parents the day, time, and location of their daughter's class?

No

A student's degree can be confirmed to some external (outside of your college) source without first obtaining the permission of the student so long as the institution identifies "degree" as directory information. (T/F)

TRUE: Directory information may be disclosed to outside parties, unless the student has submitted his/her request through my.SMU Self Service to the University Registrar office that it be withheld.

A faculty member comes into your office and asks for the names of all of the graduates in his program since its beginning in 1980. Which of the following statements is true?

The faculty member must provide a valid reason before obtaining the information

Currently attending students of SMU have the right under FERPA to request that all of their education records not be disclosed and the institution must comply. (T/F)

True

Student representatives on committees (e.g., honors, curriculum, etc.) have the right to see other students' education records during the deliberations of that committee. (T/F)

True

Your college must annually notify students of their rights under FERPA. (T/F)

True

"Legitimate educational interest" refers to:

a school official's need to review a student's education records

Upon receiving a subpoena for a student's education records, you must:

contact the Office of Legal Affairs for advisement before disclosing any student information

According to FERPA, which of the following student requests for non-disclosure of information must be honored by SMU?

directory information

A student has the right to review which of the following information about him that is maintained by the institution:

letters of recommendation received as part of SMU application

At the college level, parents:

may review their child's grades if they can prove that the student is legally their dependent