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Office of the Registrar

Confidentiality Guidelines on AccessPlus

Questions?

E-mail the Office of the Registrar.AccessPlus

AccessPlus Information System

AccessPlus is a secure and confidential campus information system available via the World Wide Web.

It's Your Responsibility

Student information is provided through AccessPlus to assist faculty and advisers in their advising/teaching roles. In order to maintain a student’s right to privacy and to comply with federal law, the university has established policies to govern access to student records. The University ID number is always considered confidential and should never be displayed in its entirety or released.

In addition, all staff must adhere to the following confidentiality policy when using student data from AccessPlus or from any other sources.

As a faculty or staff member, you have a legal responsibility under FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) to protect the confidentiality of student educational records in your possession. You have access to student information only for legitimate use in the completion of your responsibilities as a university employee. Need to know is the basic principle. Your access to student information, including directory information, is based on your faculty or staff role within the university. You may not release lists or files with student information to any third party outside your college or departmental unit. Student information, such as the information found on AccessPlus, is stored in electronic format, must be secure and available only to those entitled to access that information.

Class Lists

View Class Lists

A student’s schedule for a specific term is confidential, and therefore lists of students by class are confidential and may not be released.  Student name, curriculum, college, and year in school are directory information and may be released unless a "no release" icon (padlock) appears on the sceen.

Student Information

The ID photo available through AccessPlus is defined as CONFIDENTIAL. Other information on this screen is defined as Directory/Public information, and may be released unless a "no release" message appears on the sceen. You may NOT post the student photo on departmental bulletin boards, Web pages, or otherwise make it publicly available without the permission of this student to use the photo for that purpose. In addition, you should regularly clear your browser’s cache as described below.

Download Class List

Lists of students in the class are defined as confidential and may not be released without permission to do so.  The University ID is defined as confidential. The university ID, or any portions of it, may not be displayed or released. You must also honor any restrictions on release of public/directory information as indicated in the "no information release" field of the class list file.

Advisee Information

Student Schedule

A student’s schedule for a specific term is confidential and may not be released.

Unofficial Transcript

Almost all information included in a student’s unofficial transcript is confidential and may not be released. Exceptions are noted above under directory/public information.

Student Information

The AccessPlus student information screen is divided into two sections, Directory/Public information and Confidential information. In general, you may release Directory/Public information to a third party, unless a "no release" message appears on the sceen. Note, however, that you are not required to release information to any individual other than the student. 

Student Photo

The ID photo available through AccessPlus is defined as CONFIDENTIAL. Other information on this screen is defined as Directory/Public information, and may be released unless a "no release" message appears on the sceen. You may NOT post the student photo on departmental bulletin boards, Web pages, or otherwise make it publicly available without the permission of this student to use the photo for that purpose. In addition, you should regularly clear your browser’s cache as described below.

Directory and Public Information

Directory and public student information is open to the public upon inquiry, except in cases where the student has requested that certain information not be released. Directory information includes information published in electronic and hard copy university directories (phonebook). See list below for specific types of public data.

Public Information at Iowa State University

Directory Information: Published in ISU Directory

  • Name and in-session address
  • Telephone number
  • Campus E-mail address
  • Hometown
  • College, curriculum, year in school
  • Enrollment status (registered)

Other Information

  • Mailing address
  • Date and place of birth
  • Dates of attendance at ISU
  • Expected date of graduation
  • Name(s) of adviser(s)
  • Awards and academic honors
  • Iowa State degree(s) and date(s) awarded

Confidential Information

With the exception of the information noted above, all student records are considered to be confidential. Confidential information regarding advisees is provided to advisers in order to assist them in peforming their advising function. This confidential information cannot be used by the adviser for purposes other than advising.

Parent Requests for Student Information

Confidential information may only be released to parents under one of three conditions:

  • the student is currently under 18 years of age
  • the student has provided written consent
  • the parent has provided evidence of the student’s IRS dependency status by furnishing a certified copy of the parent’s most recent federal income tax return

If you’re in doubt about a request for student information, contact Judy Minnick, Assistant Registrar, 294-0762. A complete copy of the Confidentiality Policy is available in the current Courses and Programs Catalog.

AccessPlus Student Information Screen

When a student requests that certain information about them not be released, we must honor that request. In these cases, a message will appear in the Directory/Public information section. Refer to the key below regarding information release values, associated messages and their definitions.

Message

Reason
NO INFO RELEASE No information about student may be released.
NO ADDR/PHONE/HMTWN REL Do not release address, phone #’s or hometown; allows release of name, major and campus e-mail.
NO EMAIL/ADDR/PHONE REL Do not release address, phone #’s, hometown or e-mail; allows release of name and major.
DECEASED NO INFO RELEASE No information about student may be released.

 

Never...

  • use the University ID number (or any portion of it) of a student in a public posting of grades or any other information.
  • link the name of a student with that student’s University ID number in any public manner.
  • leave graded tests, papers, or other student materials for students to pick up in a stack that requires sorting through the papers of all students.
  • circulate a printed class list with student name and University ID number, photo, or grades as an attendance roster.
  • discuss the progress of any student with anyone other than the student (including parents) without the consent of the student.
  • provide anyone with lists or files of students enrolled in your classes for any commercial purpose.
  • provide anyone with student schedules or assist anyone other than university employees in finding a student on campus.
  • access the records of any student for personal reasons.
  • store confidential student information on any computer unless that information is required and secure from intrusion.