| USING
AND SHARING PERSONAL INFORMATION |
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| Using Data to Support Penn Operations | ||||
| In general, student information and information about staff and faculty may be shared with University officials who require such information to perform their job functions. Such data may also be shared where the subject of the data has consented in writing to the sharing. In other situations, special rules may apply and staff should refer to the applicable policy and/or ask questions. | ||||
| Requests from Third Parties | ||||
| Parents Requesting Student Records | ||||
In general,
the University does not make records available to a student's
parents. There are, however, some exceptions to this general
rule. For example, such disclosure is allowable if the student
provides written consent. |
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You may see
what student consents are on record if you have access to
the Student Records System or Advisor in Touch. Check the
student’s preferences regarding who may access the information
and what information may be accessed. If the student you are
searching for has not set preferences, you may wish to contact
the student and encourage him or her to do so by visiting
the Penn Portal and clicking on Privacy Settings. |
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Alternatively,you
may ask a student to sign a paper consent form, which is equally
valid and may better suit a specific situation that the online
consent form does not provide for (i.e., disclosure of information
that is neither academic nor financial). The paper form is
available at the Penn Privacy website. |
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Responding
to a request from a parent, and initiating a call to a parent,
each have significant privacy implications. A student’s
consent means that we may make a disclosure, not that we must.
In sensitive situations, including a student in distress,
the best course is to consult with appropriate University
resources, particularly the Vice Provost for University LIFE
(VPUL) and the Office of General Counsel (OGC). |
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In general,
Penn officials may release student records to potential employers
if the student has requested in writing that you do so. This
issue ordinarily arises when a student asks for a recommendation.
There is a place on many recommendation forms for the student
to authorize the sharing of records. Alternatively, you may
seek a student's written consent online through the Penn Portal
(click on Privacy Settings) or via a Penn paper form available
at the Penn Privacy website as described above. |
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Mortgage Companies and Other Requesting Staff and Faculty Employment Verification |
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For this type
of request, Penn offers The Work Number for Everyone®, an automated
employment verification service that allows faculty and staff to
have employment and salary verified within a matter of minutes.
This fast, secure service is used for mortgage applications, reference
checks, loan applications and apartment leases -- anything that
requires proof of employment. Visit www.hr.upenn.edu
and click on Employment Verification. |
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Certain student
groups may request lists of student e-mail addresses or physical
addresses to assist in targeted communications to promote
specific programs. In some cases, the information may be shared;
in others it may not. Specific
guidelines apply. These types of requests should be forwarded
to your Dean’s Office. Or, you may raise the specific
question with Penn’s Office of Audit, Compliance, and
Privacy by writing to privacy@pobox.upenn.edu |
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| Any requests for data under a subpoena, court order or other legal process should be referred to the Office of General Counsel. | ||||
