Tony,
Similar to UM Western, we have the attached form. Parents, students, staff and other lacked appreciation for everyone having their own release form… and felt that if you've signed one – it should have the requisite options all in one place, so ours is a one form covers every area experience – choose your own adventure.
· We require students sign in the presence of a staff member; or send it in notarized.
· It is logged in SPACMNT with the FER comment type indicating who, what to release, and timeframe covered
Our protocol is that this release then gives parents the same rights as the student would have.
Pertaining to academic records as is your query…
We don't let students call in over the phone for grades or transcripts – so we would treat FERPA authorized individuals likewise. A FERPA authorized person can execute tasks as if the student… request a transcript through traditional means; change course registration; drop courses – basically act in abstentia of the student.
Haven't mailed grades since I've been the registrar (2005) to anyone unless they submit a transcript request.
We discuss it thoroughly at Orientation; it is available all year, but I don't post ours on line because I believe in the power of the conversation of explaining the decision to parents, family and students. Remembering we are perhaps more non-traditional than many (though non traditional family members can sometimes be more direct in their communication on this matter) other campuses – I would say perhaps 2-3% of our population exercise this.
Cheri
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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