As a student employee at Truman State University, you will most likely encounter confidential student information in the course of everyday work.  This confidential information includes, but is not limited to, transcripts, applications, personnel files, personal information, and other written materials.  It also includes conversations about personal matters.  You may have access to records or other forms of individually identifiable information.  All of these items are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.  Truman's FERPA policy is available for review at http://fedinfo.truman.edu

The key aspects of FERPA that are important for student employees to understand are:

• Every educational institution that receives funds from the U.S. Secretary of Education must comply with FERPA.  Truman receives funding in the form of federal financial aid programs and federal grants.  Failure to comply with FERPA could result in the University losing its federal funding.
   

• FERPA prohibits the release of information from a student's education record to any third party without a student's written permission.  This means that our faculty, staff, and student employees cannot disclose personally identifiable information from a student's education record without the student's written permission. There are two exceptions to this rule:

  • FERPA does allow the release of personally identifiable information from a student's education record to individuals with a legitimate education interest.  For example, advisors receive access to their advisee's academic information. 
     

  • FERPA also allows the University to disclose "directory information" without a student's permission.  Directory information is information that is generally considered not to be harmful or a violation of privacy if disclosed.  Directory information includes student name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, date and place of birth, major field of study, class status, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, enrollment status (including hours enrolled), degrees and awards received, and most recent previous school attended.  Students also have the right to request that the University not disclose directory information, and may do so by contacting the Registrar.

The best practice for a student employee is to never discuss information learned through a work assignment with anyone, or to disclose any information unless you have permission from your supervisor to do so.

Disclosure of personally identifiable information is not only unprofessional and unethical, but it violates Truman State University policy and federal law.  Disclosure could result in sanctions under the Truman State University Student Conduct Code, termination of employment with the University, and criminal and civil penalties.  Several other laws, such as HIPAA, govern the release of information for campus offices such as the Student Health Center and University Counseling Services.  Be sure that you understand the requirements and standards for confidentiality for the office in which you work before you begin work.

All offices on campus are encouraged to have each employee sign a Student Employee's Statement of FERPA Understanding form prior to their first day of work each semester.