Hi Tony,
1. We do allow the release of information if students complete the attached FERPA release form. We keep a record in Banner SGASTDN Comments screen regarding who has release and what are the limits. They do not get their own login, but with the FERPA release have the right to inquire about the record. If a parent calls we ask for some verification of information that they might know about the student, but we do not mail out grades. One final note, we require the student be separate from their parent when their completing the form so we can at least know that the student completed it themselves.
2. As a rough estimate I would say half the incoming class since starting the form two years ago submit it. However I would guess follow up calls from parents are much less.
Charity Walters| Registrar and Director of Institutional Research | The University of Montana Western | 710 South Atlantic Street | Dillon, Montana 59725 |
Phone 406.683.7471
"Start by doing what is necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." St. Francis of Assisi
From: MACRAO Listserv [mailto:MACRAO@LISTSERV.GFCMSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Campeau, Tony
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2016 2:10 PM
To: MACRAO@LISTSERV.GFCMSU.EDU
Subject: FERPA releases for Grades
Hello MACRAOONS,
Can you please let me know how your campus handles FERPA releases for academic records?
This topic came up at the President's Cabinet today and we may be looking to change our policy/practices. Currently, at MSU Bozeman students can sign a FERPA release that allows their parents to discuss their bill or their financial aid. They can also sign a release with the dean of students generally for disciplinary follow-up and they can sign a release allowing faculty to reference the student's grades, GPA, class rank in a letter or recommendation. We do NOT have a FERPA release for academic records. We tell the student and the parents that the student can either: send a copy of an unofficial transcript, request an official transcript be sent (charges apply), or print/print-to-.pdf a copy of their degreeworks audit and send it to the parents. Historically, there had been a practice of suggesting that students share system login information with their parents, but we do longer do that on advice of legal counsel and IT security.
If you do have a FERPA release for academic grades could you let me know:
1. How you manage it? Do parents call in? Do you automatically send grades at the end of term? Do the parents get their own login with limited access? How do you control/scale the operation?
2. What percentage (approximately) of the student population takes advantage of the release?
If you could let me know your practices I have promised to report back to the President's Cabinet next week.
Thank you so much – hope all is going well in your ramp up to a great fall 2016!!
Cheers
Tony
Tony Campeau
Registrar
Montana State University
406.994.2604
RESPECT … INTEGRITY … STUDENT SUCCESS … EXCELLENCE
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