<p>My kids have had no concerns about signing FERPA waivers for me. When I explained what it was, that I had no intention of checking up on them regularly but wanted an option if there was a health or academic crisis, they were fine with it. Both know the story my dad tells of his friend's kid who took his college money and lived it up for a couple of years before his dad figured out he wasn't even going to school. So they really have no complaints about signing, especially as I am paying all their tuition, room, & board.</p>
<p>D1's school provided a form at orientation. She signed it, and it was never used. She showed me her grades each semester and we were square without ever needing the FERPA waiver.</p>
<p>Fast forward to last week and D2's dropoff. A dean mentioned that the FERPA form could be found at her office. I trotted off to get it after that session, and her staff looked puzzled. "I have been here for years and don't have any idea what that could be..." said the assistant. They took me to the registrar. He looked downright disdainful and said they do not have a form. I asked how my student could request a FERPA waiver. He said she could write a note (no, an email would not do) and they would accept that. I asked if there was any preferred wording. He snorted (literally) and said no, it just had to indicate who could have access to her academic records.</p>
<p>So... I track down pen and paper. Grab D2 between orientation sessions and have her write the note. She is off to her next scheduled session (this is Friday afternoon at 3 pm), and I take the note back to the registrar. Oh, no, he says, she must deliver it to him in person. Grr... at this point I think this guy is just making it up as he goes along. So then he says he will follow up with D2. I discuss with her and she is fine, says she will tell him she did sign it and does want to allow access if requested (no hesitation on her part). Checked with her today, she has not heard from them yet... wondering if they will really follow up with her. And if at this point she has a legal FERPA waiver for me to review her academic records on file yet.</p>
<p>It seems to me that the college is setting themselves up from a liability perspective to not have a form created by their legal department for this process. Or to at least have standard wording they expect in a note from the student. And it is annoying that the dean said they had a form that no one else at the college seems to know about. I am curious whether our experience at D1's college is more common (FERPA document easily available at orientation) than the one at D2's college.</p>
<p>Our kids signed FERPA forms that their U had at orientation and created a guest account so I could look at academics and finances. They also signed a consent so I could help with their medical issues and medical bills. I only used it at the beginning and end of the term, to be sure they were fully paid and also when they were near graduation to see that everything was on track. It was useful to have consent to not have to hassle with HIPPA with the medical providers and keep track of medical bills.</p>
<p>I’d have concerns about your D’s U’s very “loose” handling of FERPA and agree it is not ideal. They are putting the onus on the students and families, making it a much bigger deal than it should be.</p>
<p>My son’s college did it the opposite way. They had a form students could sign if they did NOT want parents to have info. This was in 2003. His grades were mailed to :the Parents of Thumperson". however the bill was mailed to him.</p>
<p>My daughter’s school actually has the FERPA sign off on-line and she can check what she picked (allow access or not, etc.) on her school student on-line account at any time.</p>
<p>Why don’t you just drop a note to the dean, and let that person know that you have been unable to locate the form, and that you’d like formal assistance in doing so.</p>
<p>One note - FERPA waivers only apply for academics. If you want the school to be able to speak with you about health issues, that requires a HIPAA waiver. Might be some schools combine them, but they’re different privacy laws.</p>
<p>I think I will give the registrar the rest of this week to get back to my D. But if they haven’t done so, dropping an email to the dean is probably a good idea.</p>
<p>Yes, I am aware of the HIPPA difference (although thought when HImom mentioned the health info form that it would also be a nice option to have!).</p>
<p>I wouldn’t wait until the end of the week to contact the dean. Since she stated (and apparently believed) that the form would be available at her office, you’d be doing her a favor to let her know not only that it wasn’t, but that no one in her office even had a clue what you were talking about! You can certainly note also that the registrar is trying to help you get a waiver in place . . . but the dean should be apprised that this wasn’t as straightforward as she believed.</p>
<p>Lake Jr.'s school also has an online FERPA declaration wherein students can designate persons who will have access. Just before move-in day I decided not to ask Lake Jr. to waive FERPA. He already had given me his password for access to his transcript etc. I’ll leave it at that. You’ve got to trust your kid from time to time.</p>
<p>Ah, the elusive FERPA form. I went in search of it and was told there are serveral FERPAs and a HIPPA, depending on which department of the university had the info, but no FERPA existed for grades. Thanks for the form, kathiep!</p>
<p>The disability support office at any college would probably be a good place to ask. Often students who need services also need for parents to have access.</p>
<p>Well then just keep climbing up the chain of command. Who is the VP of academic affairs? Who is the Dean of Students? Whom in the President’s cabinet is the boss of the Registrar?</p>
<p>This is a small college, under 1,000 students. Honestly, I could probably call the president and get a response if I wanted to. This dean reports to the president, I think. But D2 and I need to deal with them for the next few years, too… so I am going to let it ride for a few days and see if they straighten in out themselves. While I am annoyed, don’t want to burn bridges with the dean (D2 has a disability, so will be dealing with that dean) or the registrar. So I am going to give them a chance. If it is not done by the end of the week, I will probably drop the registrar an email and say that my D has not heard from him, and ask if he could give me an update. But this is silly… they are just leaving themselves open for liability without having a standard form, IMHO.</p>
<p>It solves the problem… unless your student gets in deep academic weeds and changes it, and won’t tell you the new one. Or develops a mental health issue and decides they don’t want you to have access. Not common, but either can happen.</p>
<p>I perused the OP’s college’s website, and they certainly aren’t very forthcoming about FERPA forms! No mention of the federal FERPA right of parents to inspect records if the student is a tax dependent. Seems like this college does NOT want parents involved! </p>
<p>BTW, here’s an interesting document about the interplay of FERPA and HIPAA. Some things that many would assume are covered under HIPAA are actually covered under FERPA (in the college environment). </p>
<p>I work at a grad school, so FERPA is not really an issue for us. Today, however, one of our married students wanted to pay her husband’s bill (he is also a student) … and I couldn’t give her the amount he owed (she couldn’t get in touch with him to get the amount due). I quickly typed up a FERPA Release form and gave her two … I suggested both she & her husband may want to sign one for each other in case something like that happens again. It sure feels weird not being able to give a student we know is married to another student the info needed to pay his bill - the school is small, so we know them really well. However, rules are rules …</p>