Use the Features for FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all institutions that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records.

For example, institutions are required to notify students annually of specific directory information that can be disclosed to individuals outside of institution employees or designees (such as student name, address, telephone number, and email address). Institutions must give students a reasonable amount of time to opt out of this disclosure. Unless students opt out, institutions may disclose this directory information without the students' consent. If students opt out of disclosure, the institution must obtain consent from the students before releasing the information.

Set Up and Change FERPA Groups

If you want to share directory information, you must use the FERPA Groups page to configure and manage the FERPA groups for your campuses. FERPA groups specify the type of information in the directory that the student can select to share with anyone.

For a FERPA group, you also specify a sharing level that determines whether the student:

  • Can choose the information specified for the group that they want to share (Partial) 

  • Must share all or none of the information specified for the group (All) 

A FERPA group can be selected for campuses when it is configured, but can also be added or changed when campuses are configured.

Warning: Changing the FERPA group for a campus removes the existing directory information selected by the students.

Select the FERPA Indicator for Students

Important: In 24.0 and earlier versions, the Data Block Indicator served two purposes. When selected, it indicated that the student:

  • Did not want to share their directory information or wanted to select the information that could be shared under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

  • Did not want their name and/or attendance dates sent to third parties by Clearinghouse

In 24.1 and higher versions, 2 new check boxes separate the functionality so that the student has more options. The check boxes are:

  • FERPA Indicator - Select this check box if the student does not want to share their directory information or wants to select the information that could be shared under FERPA.

  • CH Data Block Indicator - If your institution is sending enrollment reporting data to Clearinghouse, select the check box if the student does not want their name and/or attendance dates sent to third parties by Clearinghouse.

For students who had the Data Block Indicator check box selected, Anthology Student automatically selects the FERPA Indicator and CH Data Block Indicator when you upgrade to 24.1. For example, if the Data Block Indicator was:

  • Selected for the student, the FERPA Indicator and CH Data Block Indicator will be selected following the upgrade to 24.1

  • Not selected for the student, the FERPA Indicator and CH Data Block Indicator will not be selected following the upgrade to 24.1

For new students, you will now need to evaluate both check boxes. The default is not selected. The:

  • FERPA Indicator can be selected on the Student Profile in Anthology Student and by the student in Portal

  • CH Data Block Indicator must be selected on the Student Profile in Anthology Student

If your institution requires a FERPA document: 

  • Student Portal still displays active documents configured with type of FERPA from My Profile > My Ferpa > Ferpa Documents

  • Anthology Student will still take staff members to the Documents page for the student when the FERPA Indicator is selected so that staff members can add the document to the Documents list for the student

If the student does not want to share the information or wants to select the information when the configuration is Partial, you or the student can select the following check box on their Student Profile.

FERPA IndicatorClosed When it is selected, indicates that the student has chosen to block the release of their directory information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). If your institution configured the campus as Partial, the student can select to not share specific information on their FERPA page. If the student does not select the FERPA Indicator, all of the information configured by your institution for the FERPA group for that campus can be shared.

If the student: 

  • Does not select the FERPA Indicator, all of the information configured for the FERPA group can be shared

  • Selects the FERPA Indicator and the sharing level is Partial, the student can choose specific types of information that can be shared on their FERPA page

  • Selects the FERPA Indicator and the sharing level is All, the student can share all or none of their information using an option on their FERPA page.

Your institution can also configure one or more documents are required when the FERPA Indicator check box is selected. If your institution configures a document, Anthology Student takes staff members to the Documents page for the student so that staff members can add the document to their list.

Disclosing Academic Records Information

On the FERPA page for students, students can also select to share their academic information with the people. Your institution configures the categories of academic information that a student can select to share with the people.

On the same page, you can also manage the requests you receive to review the information and the requests to amend or remove the categories of information.

Identify Students Using the Icon in the Header of the Student Profile

When the FERPA Indicator check box is selected, the Shows the F (FERPA) icon in the header of the Student Profile. (FERPA indicator) is displayed in the header of the Student Profile for the student.

FERPA Summary

When you select the icon, Anthology Student displays a dialog that shows:

  • The directory information selected by the student to be disclosed.

  • A list of the people who have access to the academic information and the type of information that can be shared with them.

How to Implement and Use the FERPA Features

Action

Details

Additional Information

Set up and configure

Set up FERPA groups and assign them to one or more campuses.

Manage FERPA Groups

Select or change the FERPA group for a campus.

Configure Contact Manager and Admissions

If your institution wants to require one or more documents when the FERPA Indicator is selected, configure the documents with a Document Type of FERPA.

Documents

If your institution wants to require a document when the FERPA Indicator is selected, select Yes for the following option .

FERPA DocumentClosed Select Yes to specify that you want Anthology Student to display the Documents page for a student when the FERPA Indicator is changed on their Student Profile so that the staff member is prompted to add any required FERPA documents.

Configure General Settings for Contact Manager

Configure the academic records information that can be shared

Academic Record Information

Use the feature with students

Select the FERPA Indicator for a prospect or student

Add or Edit a Student or Prospect Profile

Select the FERPA Indicator for an alumnus

Add or Edit an Alumnus and Their Profile

For: 

  • All students, review the FERPA group and sharing level for their campus and add the people who they want to share their academic information with

  • Students with the FERPA Indicator selected, specify the information that can be shared

Manage FERPA Information for Students

For students with the FERPA Indicator selected, print or view a snapshot of their FERPA information

View and Print a FERPA Summary

Reports

Generate a FERPA report

FERPA Opt-out Listing

Audit

Review the changes made to FERPA information related to the student

Audit Contact Manager Information

When FERPA groups are added or changed, Anthology Student creates an audit record in the database for almost all of the changes

If needed, you can create SQL queries to audit the changes.