A04 - Understanding and Applying Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in Higher Education

This session will focus on FERPA-related issues and how they apply to research in higher education, including what is and is not FERPA-protected data, how that impacts research, and how to interpret FERPA guidelines. Several scenarios will be presented illustrating common pitfalls in research with FERPA-protected data, and the audience will be encouraged to identify problems and come up with solutions. Before attending this session, attendees should have an understanding of the revised Common Rule and exemption categories, as well as a foundation in human research protections ethics and principles, including the criteria for approval and definitions from DHHS regulations.