Study Guide for October 24

Study Guide for Communication Law: due October 24

Please cite the portion of FERPA or other laws that support your answer to YOUR ASSIGNED QUESTION. Your source cannot be just a Web address. That’s like giving me the street address for The New York Times instead of the name of the organization. Also please quote the actual part of the statute or law. You may want to look for pertinent case law to help you determine how this part of FERPA has been interpreted. You may also want to check out the relevant part of the Minnesota Data Practices Act.

In addition to your one question, please do the following: Answer one of the questions you wrote for this week's study guide. Use your book, the Internet, interviews, etc. whatever sources help you find the answer.

Please note: this FERPA assignment is in lieu of your FOIA assignment. You may still do that, but it will be extra credit. Hurray!

Another note: There will be no class meeting November 28. I will be in St. Paul all week. I will have a selection of relevant movies available for you in the library, along with a study guide. You may choose which movie to watch. I will provide you with the list in a couple of weeks.

1. Parent comes to business office to pay child’s tuition and wants to know the balance. (Rebecca Boe)
2. Parent asks whether child has been in class since last week. (Sam)
3. Parent calls supervisor or student worker and wants to know why she isn’t at work. (Jessica C.)
4. Media requests information about former student who just won election. What if the request is only for “personal opinions” – not grades? (Ryan S.)
5. Newspaper requests graduation rate of Hispanic students from St. Paul. (Mike M.)
6. Police officers demand student’s class schedule to serve arrest warrant. (Trenton S.)
7. For criminal investigation, law enforcement asks for list of stuents in Computer Language clss. Would it matter if she provided a subpoena? What if the request cam by campus security? (Monica R.)
8. Faculty passes around class list and asks students to provide e-mail address for class communication. Okay to share with other students? Okay for instructor to communicate with students by e-mail? (Tamara P.)
9. Instructor gives Registrar’s Office list of students in her “Advanced Programming” class and asks for their grades in “Beginning Programming.” (Rose G.)
10. Expanding computer company wants names and addresses of all female computer science majors for their affirmative action recruiting. (Josh C.)
11. Student requests copy of transcript of school from which he transferred last spring. (Brianna M.)
12. Student requests review of admissions file, including letters of reference. (Bryan B.)
13. Faculty adviser for Spanish Club asks Registrar for names of all students enrolled in Spanish I. Spanish majors? Hispanic students? (Rebecca R.)
14. High School counselor requests grades of PSEO students from his high school. (Mei Ling)
15. Parent requests grades of 17-year-old son attending as PSEO student. (Hui Ling)
16. Staff reports seeing students fighting in hallway. He was interviewed for Conduct Code proceedings and wants to know the outcome. What if complainant was student? (Beth K.)
17. May a department share class lists and point out troublesome students to each other? (Bryan L.)
18. Faculty requests information from financial aid on students who have defaulted on loans? (Zachary)
19. Faculty requests list from Registrar of students who are on academic probation? (Amber N.)
20. Credit card company asks for names of all business major students. List of all students enrolled in Accounting 202? List of all Computer Science majors with GPA of 3.7 or higher? (Heather S.)
21. You would like to begin to submit all your students’ essays to plagiarism detection program – others in your department question whether this violates FERPA? (Iris)
22. Employer calls to request grades of employee who is student – employer is paying tuition. (Natalie Ka)
23. Student asks instructor for employment reference – FERPA issues? Would it matter if it’s in writing? Naming faculty on application form? B’y phone? By Fax? By e-mail? Can you require waiver of ability to review? (Pei-Lin)
24. Student asks for her mid-term exam so she can see what she needs to focus on for the final. Instructor refuses because she re-uses exam questions and doesn’t want copies in circulation. Correct? What if student wants copies of instructor’s notes re: classroom participation?
25. Colleague asks you about performance of student last year in Calculus I – colleague says student is struggling in her Calculus II class. Luckily, you have saved your notes, and provide them. Student now demands to see them – you refuse.
26. Instructor asks counseling services to verify student attended appointment last week.
27. Football coach calls instructors to request mid-term grades of student athletes.