DESCRIPTION
Achieve Compliance in Electronic Documentation and Minimize Institution Risks While Effectively Ensuring Ease of Communication
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was passed in 1974, long before communication via email, texts, and social media became ubiquitous. Now, educational institutions find themselves grappling with how to navigate teachers’ and parents’ use of the latest technologies without violating FERPA. The challenge is to walk the fine line between maintaining convenient, open communication and protecting electronic records under the law.
In this webinar, Sue Ohrablo, Ed.D. will address ways to maximize effective communication with students and maintain internal documentation while minimizing risk to the institution. In addition to discussing the concept of education record (as defined in FERPA), She will also discuss who should have access to student records by examining the concept of legitimate educational interest. She will use actual examples of how standard practices such as forwarding emails, copying colleagues, and copy/pasting into student records can put the institution at risk.
After attending this session, you will understand what FERPA covers, what privacy rights it provides and to whom, how institutions can comply with the law, how to handle electronic document storage, what staff training you need, and what lessons you should be taking from recent privacy rights litigation. Equip and empower your staff—and help ensure smooth and open communication—with this informative conference.
Session Highlights:
- What FERPA is and when it is invoked
- What constitutes an educational record under FERPA
- What rights are provided under FERPA and why this matters
- How educational institutions should implement FERPA compliance in the use of emails, social media, texts, and other electronic mediums
- How to handle student or parent social media posts without violating FERPA
- What types of policies and procedures will ensure compliance with FERPA’s electronic documentation rules
- How social media and other electronic communication mesh with current litigation
- How to train staff about what they can and can’t say through social media, emails, and texts
- Learn how to identify and avoid subjective language in written communications.
- Understand how forwarding or copying emails may violate a student’s right to privacy.
- Examine examples of poor communication and learn ways to maximize effective communication across constituencies.
- Become aware of the impact your documentation may have in terms of putting the institution (and yourself) at risk.
- Learn how to effectively document delivery of service to proactively avoid lawsuits or claims of misadvising.
Who Should Attend:
- All higher education professionals
- Academic advisors
- Advising administrator
- Financial aid personnel
- Registrar’s office personnel
- Administrator
- Faculty
- Student support professionals
- Anyone who works with students or student records
