Northern Arizona University

 

Request for Student Information

1. Introduction

The Registrar’s Office is responsible for reviewing requests to release information regarding students at Northern Arizona University. Normally what is produced when student information is requested is a set of mailing labels with student names and addresses or a computer list with names of students and selected pieces of information.

University departments who receive requests from external sources for student information should refer such requests to the Registrar’s Office to prevent unauthorized access to student information. The University has adopted this policy to insure compliance with the laws affecting privacy, to avoid possible participation in illegal discrimination, and to act in a fashion that is in the best educational interests of students and other members of the university community.

The Registrar’s Office provides requestors with lists and/or labels where appropriate under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines, Arizona Revised Statute 39-121.03, and the Solomon Amendment. Care must be given to considering whether or not a) the requestor is a member of the university community, a vendor, an Armed Services representative or a third party entity, and b) what is being requested (public directory information, private/confidential information), and whether the student has given permission to divulge their public/directory information.

Releasable information (Directory information)		Non-releasable information (Confidential information)
Student name Local and permanent address E-mail address Telephone number Date and place of birth Major field of study Dates of attendance Degrees and awards received Participation in officially recgnized activities and sports, Weight/height of members of athletic teams. Most recent previous educational Institution attended		All other information (i.e. SSN, grades, class schedule, etc..) Any information, indcluding directory information, which the student has indicated should not be released.

All requests from any of the individuals and groups identified below must be accompanied by the attached NAU Student Information Request Form which needs to be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Once released, mailing labels and lists may not be duplicated, stored by any means, or used for other purposes other than the purpose stated on the request form. The information may not be given to a third party.

2. Policies and Procedures

1. University purposes

   Policy: Requests from third party entities such as individuals or businesses outside the university community are processed according to Arizona Public Records Statue, ARS 39-121 et seq where the information requested is to be used for commercial purposes. The requestor must agree in writing to fees and conditions prior to the production of the requested information. Among the conditions that requestors must agree to are a) not to further distribute the information it receives, b) to furnish copies of its proposed mailing to NAU, and c) not to represent that they are affiliated with NAU.

   Where appropriate, confidential information as defined under FERPA (see the table on page 1) may be released to university-affiliated entities such as those defined in the above paragraph with legitimate university business needs for this information.

   Procedure: Requests should be submitted in writing to the Registrar’s Office using the NAU List/Label Request Form. Requestors should expect at least a two-week turnaround time. If additional programming services from Information Technology Services (ITS) is required, a special work request is initiated and a 3 to 4 week turnaround time allowed.

   Generally, students who have requested that their directory information be kept confidential (i.e. not have their directory information released) will have their requests honored. Only in cases where the requested information, confidential or not, is deemed essential to the conduct of university business, and other situations specifically approved by FERPA, will student information be released.

2. Authorized vendors under contract:

   Policy: Lists and mailing labels for purposes of solicitation of goods, products, or services will not be provided to third parties free of charge unless the requestor is an authorized vendor under contract with NAU to provide such services. Contracts must be signed by an authorized individual designated to sign documents on behalf of the Arizona Board of Regents. For a complete listing, see the attached memo from Dr. Lovett dated February 16, 1999. (Attachment B)

   Procedure: Requests should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office using the NAU List/Label Request Form. A copy of the valid contract with authorized signatures must be attached. Requestors should expect at least a two-week turnaround time.

   Generally, students who have requested that their directory information be kept confidential (i.e. not have their directory information released) will have their requests honored. Only in cases where the requested information, confidential or not, is deemed essential to the conduct of university business, and other situations specifically approved by FERPA, will student information be released.

3. Third party commercial requests:

   Policy: Requests from third party entities such as individuals or businesses outside the university community are processed according to Arizona Public Records Statue, ARS 39-121 et seq where the information requested is to be used for commercial purposes. The requestor must agree in writing to fees and conditions prior to the production of the requested information. Among the conditions that requestors must agree to are a) not to further distribute the information it receives, b) to furnish copies of its proposed mailing to NAU, and c) not to represent that they are affiliated with NAU.

   The terms of ARS 39-121.03 are mandatory. The university is required to charge a fee for producing the requested information. The fee includes a portion of the cost to the state for obtaining the original information, a reasonable fee for the cost of time, equipment and personnel in producing a reproduction, and the value of the reproduction on the commercial market.

   Exceptions to this law are when it is determined to be in the best interest of the State not to release the information, where it is determined that release of such information would be an unnecessary invasion of privacy, or where disclosure of such information would violate other laws of confidentiality.

   Students who have requested that their directory information be kept confidential (i.e. not have their directory information released) will have their requests honored.

   Procedure: Requests must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office using the NAU list/label request form. Once the request is reviewed and approved, a written agreement specifying the agreed to conditions and fees must be signed by the requestor and the University Registrar. An invoice is generated and sent. Payment is required in advance of production of the requested information. The requestor is responsible for pick-up or special delivery of the information from the Registrar’s Office.

   The fee structure is as follows:
   
   

   (1) FIXED PROCESSING FEE	(2) VARIABLE FEE	TOTAL FEES
   $1,000	$150 per 1,000 names	(1) + (2)

   (NOTE: The fixed processing fee will be waived for third party entities who are already under contract with NAU to provide goods, products or services but who are requesting student information that is not stipulated in their contract. In addition, payment is not required in advance for processing requests from third party entities that fall under these conditions.)

4. Third party non-commercial requests:

   Policy: The definition of third party extends to public sector entities such as community colleges, school districts, and/or public agencies that do not have an express, written Intergovernmental Agreement with NAU that authorizes the release of student information. Requests from third party entities requesting student information for non-commercial purposes will be reviewed on a case by case basis against the rules and policies that apply.

   Procedure: Requests must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office using the NAU list/label request form. Once the request is reviewed and approved, a written agreement specifying the agreed to conditions and fees must be signed by the requestor and the University Registrar. An invoice is generated and sent. Payment is required in advance of production of the requested information. The requestor is responsible for pick-up or special delivery of the information from the Registrar’s Office.

   The fee structure is as follows:
   
   

   (1) FIXED PROCESSING FEE	(2) VARIABLE FEE	TOTAL FEES
   $0	$150 per 1,000 names	(1) + (2)

   Generally, students who have requested that their directory information be kept confidential (i.e. not have their directory information released) will have their requests honored. Only in cases where the requested information, confidential or not, is deemed essential to the conduct of university business, and other situations specifically approved by FERPA, will student information be released.

5. Requests from the Armed Services:

   Policy: Requests from the Armed Services are governed by the Solomon Amendment which was adopted to implement the National Defense Authorization Act of 1995, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996, and the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act 1997. In compliance with the Solomon Amendment, NAU provides student information to military recruiters. The Solomon Amendment requires that only the following information be released: name, address, telephone listing, age (or year of birth), level of education, and major.

   Important points to remember stipulated in the Solomon Amendment:
   
   

   • Provide recruiters only the information to which they are entitled by law.
   • Keep the definition of Student Recruiting Information under Solomon separate from Directory Information under FERPA.
   • Do not provide dropout lists.
   • Do not provide information on race, gender, ethnicity, grades, etc.
   • Do not provide information on students under age 17.
   • Get requests in writing.
   • Provide access and information only if it is for recruiting purposes, and the individual is a recruiter.

   Students who have requested that their directory information be kept confidential (i.e. not have their directory information released) will have their requests honored.

   Procedure: Requests must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office using the NAU list/label request form and will be reviewed by the University Registrar. Payment is required in advance of production of the requested information.

   The fee structure is as follows:
   
   

   (1) FIXED PROCESSING FEE	(2) VARIABLE FEE	TOTAL FEES
   $0	$150 per 1,000 names	(1) + (2)

   The requestor is responsible for pick-up or special delivery of the information from the Registrar’s Office.

6. Employment:

   Policy: Requests for student information from prospective employers are directed to Career Services. Student information such as name, address, telephone, e-mail, major and profile and/or resume are released only with the student’s permission. Specific employment opportunities are routinely made known to students through Career Services and through the Jobtrac online job posting service.

   Procedure: Prospective employers are invited to contact the Director of Career Services for assistance with the identification of students who may be interested and qualified for employment opportunities. Students who register with Career Services may authorize the release of their contact information and their student profile and/or resume to prospective employers. (Attachment C). Students who do not sign the authorization form will not have any information about themselves released to employers.