MU can disclose information for safety

By Ryan Martin

Published Nov. 9, 2007

Universities can disclose a student's educational information to health officials, law enforcement and parents in the interest of safety, according to a clarification in a set of new brochures released by the U.S. Department of Education.

Following the April shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the department created the brochures to clarify what circumstances merit disclosure of student information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

FERPA is a federal law that generally requires written consent from students aged 18 and older to disclose private information, but in some circumstances, this information could be released to other parties without written consent.

"FERPA has always allowed the release of information if a student is a danger to themselves or others," Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs said.

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said FERPA is intended to make obtaining the information easier.

"FERPA is not intended to be an obstacle to school safety," Spellings said in the release. "The brochures will enable parents, teachers and administrators to safeguard students in our education system."

The department created a brochure for college and university officials, a brochure for grade school officials and a brochure for parents. No brochure was created for students.

The brochure for college and university officials outlines potential circumstances during which written consent would no longer be required.

"Postsecondary officials are regularly asked to balance the interests of safety and privacy for individual students," the brochure states.

In a health or safety emergency, FERPA would allow the university to disclose the education records to appropriate parties "to protect the health or safety of students or other individuals," the brochure states.

A student's education record includes files regarding financial aid, advisement, admissions, disciplinary records and grades, according to the MU registrar's Web site.

In October, officials from those parties at MU created the At-Risk Behaviors Committee, which is headed by Scroggs.

The committee helps identify students, faculty and staff who pose a threat to themselves or others, Scroggs said in a previous Maneater article.

The committee consists of Counseling Center Director Rosean Bishop, Student Health Center psychiatrist Stephanie Bagby-Stone, Residential Life Associate Director Kristen Temple, MU police Maj. Doug Schwandt, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies James Spain and Office of Judicial Affairs Coordinator Donell Young.

A student's education record could be released to this committee if the situation was appropriate, Scroggs said.