Health and Safety Exception
 
Under FERPA, written consent from a student is required before disclosing information from their educational record. One exception to this is the allowable release of data categorized as Directory Information for enrolled students who have not suppressed the release of this information. A second exception is the allowable release of information to school officials with a legitimate educational interest.
 
An additional, perhaps lesser known, exemption to written consent under FERPA is the disclosure in connection with a health or safety emergency. Consider the following factors when making a decision to release information in these situations: 1) the severity of the threat to the health or safety of those involved; 2) the need for the information; 3) the time required to deal with the emergency; and 4) the ability of the parties to whom the information will be given to deal with the emergency.
 
If information is disclosed under this exception, the disclosure and the ‘articulable and significant threat’ prompting the disclosure must be recorded in the student educational record. Employees should record this information in COMPASS on the SPACMNT form or denote this information on a note within Navigate.
 
Practical Implications
If faculty, advisors, or other staff are working with a situation of this nature, it may be helpful to utilize Texas A&M University resources for support. Recall that Texas A&M University has implemented the use of Tell Somebody for submission of any student concerning behavior(s). In addition to the Tell Somebody report, Student Assistance Services connects enrolled students with appropriate guidance, resources, and support for personal and academic matters and can serve as a point of contact for information and questions. Furthermore, questions about disclosure under this FERPA exemption may be directed to the Office of the Registrar at ferpa@tamu.edu or 979-845-1711.
 
For general FERPA information and resources, review the Office of the Registrar site for FERPA for Faculty, Staff, and Administrators.
 
Individuals within the Office of the Registrar are available to participate in a FERPA question and answer session for any department or college faculty or staff meeting. To make arrangements, please call 979-845-1711 or submit a request to ferpa@tamu.edu.
 
If you have a topic that you are interested in being explored in a future Friday Fun with FERPA, please email ferpa@tamu.edu. Alternatively, you can submit an anonymous form with topic ideas HERE.