Guideline 1: Do not disclose/release any student information to an individual or organization from outside Brandeis.
If you receive such a request, refer the requestor to the Registrar’s Office. Individually identifiable information contained in a student’s records may be disclosed to a third party outside of Brandeis University only with a student’s prior written consent. Departments should not disclose any information regarding a student record to a third party. All third-party related inquiries should be directed to the Registrar’s Office.
Guideline 2: Do not place or post student information in a public location (physical or virtual) without the consent of the student.
Note that this includes the web and print publications as well as hallways and lounges. Departments and programs that wish to post information about individual students must receive authorization from the student before posting.
Guideline 3: Sharing student information with Brandeis colleagues should be limited to legitimate educational purposes.
For example, a physical education instructor would likely have no educational purpose for getting a list of the students in the chemistry PhD program; however, an undergraduate advising head does have an educational reason for asking how majors are performing in courses in the major, and an adviser would have reason for asking about performance in all courses.
Guideline 4: Health and safety concerns override FERPA restrictions; you do not need to obtain prior consent when there are concerns regarding the health and safety of a student.
In the event that you are placed in such a situation, the safety and health of students and others is the priority. Offices that should be consulted, even after the fact, are Public Safety, the Dean of Students, Academic Services and the Registrar’s Office.
Guideline 5: Privacy and FERPA concerns apply to the coursework and tools used in the virtual classroom.
If you are using online tools that would expose student coursework to parties outside the class, then you must include a statement such as the following on your syllabus and provide appropriate safeguards:
This class requires the use of tools that may disclose your coursework and identity to parties outside the class. To protect your privacy you may choose to use a pseudonym/alias rather than your name in submitting such work. You must share the pseudonym/alias with me and any teaching assistants as needed. Alternatively, with prior consultation, you may submit such work directly to me.