Subject:
Confidentiality of Student Data
From:
"Beverly Rivera, University Registrar"<brivera@NOTES.CC.SUNYSB.EDU>
Date:
Tue, 4 Sep 2007 14:32:17 -0400 (EDT)
To:
"Mihaly,Laszlo" <lmihaly@GRADUATE.PHYSICS.SUNYSB.EDU>

As a matter of law, the University must comply with state and federal
requirements mandating the privacy of student data, or risk the loss
of federal funds.  All members of the campus community who interact
with students in any capacity and have access to student records must
adhere to these policies by following standard practices for handling
paper and electronic student records.  As required by law, notice of
this policy and of students' rights thereunder is here given to the
campus community and reproduced on the Registrar's website.

Applicable regulations include:
     The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
     The USA Patriot Act (amends FERPA)
     NY State law (regulates use of students' social security and
     identification numbers) 
     University Policy  507 (Student Access to Academic Records) 
     
Highlights of the privacy laws:

The University is authorized to provide access to student records to
staff with a legitimate educational interest in such access without
the student's written consent.  Such persons include those with
responsibilities for campus academic, administrative or service
functions, whose normal and customary job duties require ongoing or
periodic access to student records.  This determination is made on a
case-by-case basis by the Registrar's Office.

With the limited exception of certain data defined as "Directory
Information", (see below), student information must not be
transmitted by any University employee to anyone outside the
University (including parents or spouses) without an express written
release from the student or  a  lawfully issued subpoena or court
order.  This prohibition includes the issuance of recommendation
letters and academic transcripts.  Further, faculty, instructors, and
graduate students must understand that they are not permitted to
discuss student participation in a class with non-University third
parties (parent, partner, prospective employer) without prior written
consent from the student.   Students may complete a form authorizing
the Registrar's Office to permit non-University individuals to view
their academic record.  Accordingly, before engaging in third party
discussions, please contact the Registrar.

Directory information is public information and may be released
without prior student consent.  This data is limited to the following
information:

     Name            Program of study         Enrollment status      
     
                     (including college of    (e.g. full-time, 
                     enrollment and major)    part-time, 
                                              withdrawn)
                         
    Local            Degrees and              Participation in 
    address          awards received          recognized  
                                              activities or sports

    Local            Dates of attendance      Date of graduation
    telephone

Be aware that students may complete a request to the Registrar's
Office to suppress even directory information from being divulged. 
Accordingly, before revealing directory information, please contact
the Registrar.

New York State law specifically bars the display of a student's
social security or identification number in any public posting of
grades, on class rosters or other lists provided to teachers, on
student identification cards, and in student directories or similar
listings.  Accordingly, faculty and staff may not use student social
security or University identification numbers - or any portion
thereof - to post grades or provide other publicly accessible
information. 

Only the Office of University Counsel coordinates responses to
subpoenas, court orders or law enforcement requests for student
records.  Employees receiving any such requests MUST contact
University Counsel for immediate action.

For more information:

1. The FERPA regulations are posted in the US Department of Education
website: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OM/fpco/ferpa

2. Amendments to FERPA are available at:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/pdf/htterrorism.pdf

3. Copies of this policy are available at the Registrar's Office, in
the Undergraduate Bulletin and on the Registrar's website:
http://www.sunysb.edu/registrar/ferpa.htm

4. University Policy 507 on Student Access to Academic Records:
http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/Admin/policy.nsf/pages/p507

University Policy 109 on the Responsible Use Of Information
Technology: http://naples.cc.stonybrook.edu/doit.nsf/pages/policy

Questions about the interpretation of the FERPA guidelines should be
referred to the University Registrar, 276 Administration, 2-6175.