FERPA and HIPPA are very similar in a lot of aspects.
FERPA rights can have exceptions in certain scenarios.
Published content from student/school-sponsored activities, events and recognition lists are considered under FERPA and must addressed as part of its handling of Directory Information. Third party vendors and service providers that in practice deal with FERPA protected student information to provide services, also fall under FERPA. Other regulatory rules and statutes such as HIPPA, the Solomon Act and the Patriot Act can affect and supersedes requirement under FERPA depending on the way and by who the information is used like health or financial information. Technology is pushing society away from paper records to electronic ones and they are to be protected just the same.
FERPA, HIPAA, and Homeland Security all have different regulations. Some vendors must also comply with FERPA.
I wasn't aware that the housing provider also fell under the FERPA protections:
"A student housing facility owned by a third party that has a contract with an institution to provide housing for its students is considered to be under the control of the institution (whether the rent is paid directly by students or by the institution on their behalf). Therefore, records maintained by the third party or the institution, related to students living in that housing, are subject to FERPA."
I wonder if this applies to someone who, for example, does not have a contract with the school, but the student still uses Financial Aid to pay for the housing.
FERPA rights have exceptions especially when it is a matter of national security.
While a student may opt-out of Directory Information, they are still required to provide their name when participating in an online course, such as submitting a weekly discussion board post. Students are not able to post anonymously in an online course.
Rights and protections of student info, institutional safeguards, and federal safeguards protect all parties from violations and regulatory investigations.
This online course has provided me with information pertaining to students rights and the protection of those rights. It also gives a clear pathway for institutions to remain compliant while focusing on protecting the privacy of student records.
It was useful to reread information on online and asynchronous classes and videotaping and releasing this information on social media by students themselves as well.
I've learned that FERPA provides a framework for protecting student privacy but also presents various challenges and considerations for educational institutions.
This sections explains the differences between FERPA and HIPPA
Pretty much identical to HIPPA.
Institutions sometimes promote and/or announce school events, such as academic clubs, sports activities, community service projects, or other events deemed worthy of media coverage. In fact, some institutions have their own newsletters, newspapers, or other publications specifically designed to share information about these events. One student may feel flattered to be mentioned in an article or material in such a publication, while another may consider it a violation of privacy.
It was interesting to learn how FERPA relates to and is impacted by things such as HIPPA, The Soloman Act, and the USA Patriot Act. It is also important to know how FERPA is impacted as technology evolves and is continuously integrated into the academic setting.
FERPA requires strict guidelines for institutions to release student data and this has become especially relevant in the online learning platforms. I found it interesting that in a general school setting students can choose not to disclose any personal identifying information, however in an online platform that is not the case.
There was an E-sign and security act that allowed institutions to be able to accept online forms of signatures.
I was unaware that other government programs supersede the FERPA act.
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires financial institutions to explain their information-sharing practices to their customers and to safeguard sensitive data.
