Overview

In Franklin OIT, there are many departments that are holding Zoom graduation ceremonies instead of in person event. This document contains guidance provided by the Registrar to help the departments understand FERPA and an online event such as a graduation.

Zoom Graduation FERPA Guidance

The following information is copied from an email from Adam Lawrence, Associate Registrar, Office of the Registrar 4-23-2021

"As long as the student speakers are making the voluntary choice to speak at graduation, everything should be ok from a FERPA perspective. I would stress to the students the manner of the ceremony (for example, is the ceremony going to be recorded for future use, who the audience will be viewing the ceremony, etc.).

The FERPA concern when a university official discloses information, either verbally or in written forms (such as a slide or printed program), is that whether the information is part of directory information or is beyond directory information. Students who have restricted their information under FERPA must provide consent in order for their name to be read out loud or to be printed in a slide or in a program. If any information beyond directory information is being released at the ceremony, all students participating must provide consent for the release of that information.

Directory information as defined by UGA can be found here: https://reg.uga.edu/general-information/ferpa/"

FERPA | General Information | Office of the Registrar
Gudiance to Faculty for Fall 2020: Recording Class Sessions is Permitted (FERPA may Apply) – As was the case prior to the transition to online instruction, faculty can record class sessions.If students are participating in an identifiable manner in the class session, those portions of the recordings become the education record of such students and would be protected by FERPA.
reg.uga.edu

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