UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
Office of the Provost
and Vice President for Academic Affairs
PO Box 113175
235 Tigert Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611-3175
Tel: (352)392-2404
Suncom: 622-2404
Fax: (352) 392-8735
Internet: capaldi@nersp.nerdc.ufl.edu

November 5,1998

MEMORANDUM

To: Academic Deans

From: Elizabeth D. Capaldi, Provost

Subject: University of Florida Grade Posting Policy

We are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of student grades and no grades (exam, project or final) may be posted in a manner that would allow a student to learn another student's grade. Each one of us is accountable for ensuring the confidentiality of all student educational records in accordance with the State University System rules, state statutes, and the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, As Amended (FERPA), better known as the Buckley Amendment.

Even with names obscured, numeric student numbers are personally identifiable information. The practice of posting grades by social security number or student identification number violates the law.

To remind faculty of grade posting policies, the Office of the University Registrar (O.U.R.) has put together the attached flyer for departmental staff to attach to individual instructor grade reports. The O.U.R. will include enough copies of this flyer for distribution when the instructor grade reports are distributed each term. This flyer specifies the only appropriate procedures for posting grades for public view. I will appreciate your help in making certain that every instructor knows that grades cannot be posted in any personally identifiable manner.

All grades submitted by the Monday deadline after commencement are available to students that same day, after 6 p.m. Students can simply call TeleGator, 37GATOR (374-2867) or they can use the web Integrated Student Information System (ISIS) at http://www.isis.ufl.edu. Official grades also are mailed to each student's permanent address beginning the Tuesday following each commencement.

Thank you for your help.

EDC/lc
Attachment

Student academic information is, by law, confidential; any academic record that is individualized with a student's name or social security number must be protected. A student's right to privacy is protected by Florida Statutes and the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, As Amended (FERPA), commonly referred to as the Buckley Amendment. Even with names obscured, numeric student numbers are considered personally identifiable information. Therefore, the practice of posting grades by social security number or student identification number is a violation of the law.

Instructors who choose to post grades should use a method that ensures FERPA requirements are met. Two acceptable options are:
 

•  Ask each student to provide a code, known only to the student and the instructor. Post grades using a scrambled list of code words.
• Ask each student to complete a self-addressed stamped postcard or envelope, including the course name/number on the message side or insert. The instructor can write the student's grade on the message side or insert, then mail it to the student when grades have been determined.

Each term's grades, submitted by the Monday deadline, after commencement, are available to students that same day, after 6:00 p.m. Students can simply call TeleGator, 37GATOR (374-2867) or they can use the web Integrated Student Information System (ISIS) at http://www.isis.ufl.edu. Official grades also are mailed to each student's permanent address beginning the Tuesday following each commencement.
 
 
 
 
 

0: grade posting.doc