A proposal outline describing potential changes to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act has some University of Wisconsin officials concerned about its ability to keep student records confidential in the future.

The United States Department of Education has released a preliminary proposal for amendments to FERPA, which as of right now includes strengthening enforcement provisions to cover additional recipients of student information and clarifies how states can use data in statewide longitudinal data systems while still ensuring individuals’ privacy.

According to Jim Steele, Associate Registrar for Student Records, UW is aware of these recommendations, and he says there may also be a nationwide longitudinal data system included in the potential changes, but he doesn’t know the full specifics of the recommended changes just yet.

The Department of Education Deputy Assistant General Counsel Shannan Higgins said the final proposal for changes to FERPA should be announced in the next few months, but they are still unclear of the exact date.

Steele said with the new recommendations for these longitudinal data systems would decrease the amount of confidentiality over student information, a cause for concern for UW.

“We have a lot of concerns, especially the fear that once this database exists it will make it more difficult for us to protect [student’s] information, because we will not have any control over its use once it is placed in this type of database,” Steele said.

But the published proposal online only outlines a potential recommendation for amendments, and no final proposal has been released.

“We actually do not have the final proposed regulations out yet, what we have online is just an indication that we plan to be proposing changes to the regulation sometime this year,” Higgins said.

Passed in 1974, FERPA is a federal law that protects students’ confidential information, such as enrolled courses, received grades or any academic standing sanctions, from anyone who does not have an educational need to know the information.

UW has never had a case referred to the Family Policy Compliance Office, the office that makes sure institutions are in agreement with FERPA regulations. There have been a few complaints, but they have been successfully addressed to the students’ satisfaction, Steele said.