Cross-posted from DataBreaches.net because I think there some FERPA issues here to address. Laura Krantz reports:
Students and parents at Mount Ida College say they are furious because the college shared their private records with UMass Dartmouth without their permission, amid a controversial plan to shut down the college and offer students a chance to attend the state school next fall.
Mount Ida families said they learned the students’ information was shared after they received individualized packets of information from UMass Dartmouth this week that contained their academic transcripts. Some students said they do not plan to transfer to Dartmouth and did not want their records shared.
Read more on Boston Globe.
It does not sound like Mount Ida obtained opt-in consent to share either transcripts or financial information before transmitting information to Darthmouth. Had they first made Dartmouth a “school official” under FERPA? If so, then they likely get away with this, but if not, then perhaps some parents or students will file formal FERPA complaints with the government. Except: the college is already folding. Assuming that they were trying to be responsible and to help their current students find alternative means to complete their education, do we really want to treat them like some awful entity? Or is this a case of “the road to hell” being paved with good intentions?