FERPA - Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (UNV-1.2)

Colleges and Universities collect large amounts of information about their students in order to serve them properly. Technology makes it easier to gather and manage this information, but also makes it easier for third parties to obtain private student records. In order to protect the privacy rights of students and their families, Congress enacted the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The act sets guidelines for what records can and cannot be accessed by students, guardians, and the general public, and outlines student rights regarding having records amended. In this course learners will find out about the history and purpose of FERPA and learn to identify the rights and responsibilities outlined under the law and how they apply to operations on campus. This course is designed for any and all employees working in federally-funded post-secondary education institutions who may have access to student records or other information. This course is intended to assist employers in training employees to understand their responsibilities under FERPA.