Understanding Emory University Directory Information and FERPA Compliance
Emory University recognizes the importance of protecting student privacy while also fulfilling its responsibilities to the community. To balance these interests, Emory adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and has established policies and guidelines regarding the confidentiality and release of student information. This article outlines Emory University's policies concerning student records, directory information, and FERPA compliance.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Emory University adheres to a policy of compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. It governs the confidentiality of student information and sets forth requirements for the disclosure of these records. To ensure compliance, Emory University provides an interactive online course covering the fundamentals of FERPA, including key definitions and required or permitted actions under FERPA.
FERPA Training
To begin the FERPA - Student Records training course, follow these steps:
- HR Self-Service
- Select Self Service
- Choose Learning Management - Brainier
- In the Search box, type: FERPA - Student Records
At the end of the course, there will be an assessment based on the material covered. Achieving a score of 70% or higher will result in a certificate of completion being issued with your name. You will be required to present your certificate when requesting or renewing OPUS access with the Office of the University Registrar. The University will comply with a request within a reasonable time, at most within 45 days.
Definition of School Officials and Legitimate Educational Interests
School officials include instructional or administrative personnel who are or may be in a position to use the information in furtherance of a legitimate objective, a person serving on the Board of Trustees, a student serving on an official committee (such as a disciplinary committee), a volunteer, or a contractor outside of Emory who performs an institutional service or function for which Emory would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the institution with respect to the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from education records. Legitimate educational interests include those interests directly related to the academic environment.
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Disclosure of Information Without Prior Consent
Under certain circumstances, Emory University may disclose student information without prior consent. These include:
- Officials of other schools: To officials of other schools in which a student seeks or intends to enroll or is enrolled.
- Authorized representatives: To authorized representatives of the Comptroller General of the U. S. Secretary of Education, and State and local educational authorities, but only in connection with the audit or evaluation of federally supported educational programs, or in connection with the enforcement of or compliance with federal legal requirements relating to these programs. These officials will protect information received so as not to permit personal identification of students to outsiders, and the data shall be destroyed when no longer needed.
- Financial aid: In connection with a student's application for, or receipt of, financial aid, but only to the extent necessary for such purposes as determining eligibility, amount, conditions, and enforcement of terms or conditions.
- Educational studies: To organizations conducting educational studies for the purpose of developing, validating, or administering predictive tests, administering student aid programs, and improving instruction. The studies shall be conducted so as not to permit personal identification of students to outsiders, and the information will be destroyed when no longer needed for these purposes.
- Accrediting organizations: To accrediting organizations for purposes necessary to carry out their functions.
- Dependent students: To parents of a student who is a dependent for income tax purposes.
- Emergencies: To appropriate parties in connection with an emergency, where knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals.
- Court orders or subpoenas: In response to a court order or subpoena (The University will make reasonable efforts to notify the student before complying with the court order).
- Victims of crimes: To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense. This disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding with respect to that alleged crime or offense, regardless of the finding.
- Alcohol-related violations: To parents of a student under the age of 21 who has been found with an alcohol-related disciplinary violation.
Prior Consent Required
In all other cases, the University will not release personally identifiable information in education records or allow access to those records without prior consent of the student. Unless disclosure is to the student himself or herself, the consent must be written, signed and dated, and must specify the records to be disclosed and the identity of the recipient.
Record of Disclosures
The University will maintain with the student’s education records a record for each request and each disclosure, except:
- Disclosures to the student himself or herself
- Disclosures pursuant to the written consent of the student
- Disclosures to instructional or administrative officials of Emory University
- Disclosures of directory information
The student, the official custodian of the records, and other university and governmental officials may inspect the record of disclosure.
Student's Right to Amend Records and Request a Hearing
The student shall have the right to request that the University amend his or her records and, if that request is denied, the student shall have the right to a hearing to challenge the content of the student's official University records, to ensure that the records are not inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of students and to provide an opportunity for the correction or deletion of any inaccurate, misleading or otherwise inappropriate data contained herein. If the University declines to amend the record following the hearing, the student shall have the right to place a statement in his or her record commenting on the information in the record and the University’s decision not to amend it.
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Withholding Information
There may be conditions such as financial obligations, violations of non-academic regulations, etc., under which the University will withhold transcripts, certifications, or other information about a student. In such instances, the student and the Office of the Registrar must be notified in writing before the hold is initiated. This notification must state the reason for such hold and the conditions to be met before release can be made.
Emory University's Commitment to Student Privacy
Emory University is committed to protecting students from improper disclosure of private information. In order to do so, the University must make every endeavor to keep the student's record confidential. All members of the faculty, administration and clerical staff must respect confidential information about students which they acquire in the course of their work. At the same time the University must be flexible enough in its policies not to hinder the student, the institution or the community in their legitimate pursuits.
Each of the record-keeping administrative units within the University may develop its own additional specific procedures in accordance with the general policy stated here. All procedures and policies dealing with records shall be formulated with due regard for the student's rights for privacy, freedom of association and expression and intellectual liberty and freedom to learn.
Only those records shall be kept which are necessary in order to meet the University’s or student’s goals. Duplication of record keeping shall be minimized. All persons who handle student records shall be instructed concerning the confidential nature of such information and their professional and legal responsibilities regarding these records. Information from University files, which is not of public record, shall not be available to unauthorized persons without the written consent of the student involved.
The University will comply with and abide by all federal and state laws which apply directly to the University and the Confidentiality and Release of Information About Students--in particular, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
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The University Registrar and the Oxford College Registrar are the official custodians of academic records at Emory University and Oxford College respectively and therefore are the only officials who may issue an official transcript of academic record. Records shall be released to comply with a subpoena or court order only with the consent and advice of the University's legal counsel. A record shall be maintained, kept with the record of each student, of the release of any information contained in a student's files to individuals or agencies outside the University; including the name of the requesting individual or agency, date, and purpose of the request.
Emory University School of Medicine
The Emory University School of Medicine is the Graduate Medical School of Emory University and a component of Emory’s Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center. It is consistently ranked among the top institutions for biomedical education, clinical care, and research in the United States.
Contact Profiles from Emory University School of Medicine
- B. A., Chief Financial Officer, United States, Georgia
- F. C., Chief Business Officer, United States, Georgia
- J. S., Chief Operating Officer, United States, Georgia
- T. W., Chairman Emeritus, United States, Minnesota
- D. B., Professor And Chairman Of The Department Of Rehabilitation Medicine, United States, Georgia
- B. S., Professor And Chairman, United States, Georgia
- D. P., Chief Medical Resident
- E. S., Medical Physics Chief Resident, United States, Georgia
- L. D., Clinical Instructor Dept Of Head And Neck Surgery, United States, Georgia
- N.,
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