[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-279956-105":53,"doc-detail-279956-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":119,"head_meta":121,"extra_data":123,"updated_unix":125},105,"en","faculty-guidance-letters-of-recommendation-and-ferpa-practical-steps","Faculty Guidance - Letters of Recommendation and FERPA - Practical Steps","","Faculty guidance explains when a recommendation letter triggers FERPA-signed consent requirements and how to handle consent, records, and secure communication. It provides a step-by-step process: assess whether consent is needed, confirm that required consent is on file using preferred or alternate methods, and then draft and distribute the letter while retaining copies. It clarifies that recommendations without personally identifiable information do not require consent, while grades or GPA do. It also stresses retention, the student’s right to review, and encrypted transmission.",{"@graph":63,"@context":118},[64,80,101],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/faculty-guidance-letters-of-recommendation-and-ferpa-practical-steps/279956/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/faculty-guidance-letters-of-recommendation-and-ferpa-practical-steps/279956.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Levi","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-28","2026-09-16",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104,110,114],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"When is signed consent required for a letters of recommendation under FERPA?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"Consent is required when the recommendation includes personally identifiable information such as grades or GPA. It is not required when the recommendation is based solely on the recommender’s observation or knowledge.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What should be ensured if consent is required?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"Consent must be on file. The preferred method is using the Office of the Registrar’s Faculty Letter of Recommendation Consent, or an alternate method that includes disclosure records, the purpose, and the parties who may receive the disclosure.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How should faculty send recommendation letters securely and what records must be retained?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"Recommendations and any required consents are part of the student’s/alum’s education record and must be retained per the university’s retention schedule. When sending to third parties, documents containing personally identifiable information must be transmitted only through encrypted email or other secure means, and a copy should be retained.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":120,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":122,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":124,"site_id":56},279956,1790460382,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":127},{"doc_id":124,"user_id":128,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":30,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":9,"language":135,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":139,"read_time":4},7971461740909,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Faculty Guidance: Letters of Recommendation and FERPA  \nThis guidance helps faculty determine when a letter of recommendation requires a signed consent under FERPA law.  \nStep 1: Determine if consent is required.  \nStep 2: If required, ensure consent is on file.  \nStep 3: Write the letter, securely send it to the recipient and retain a copy.  \nStep 1: Determine if consent is required.  \n•  NO CONSENT REQUIRED: A recommendation based solely on the recommender’s observation or knowledge. (e.g.“I observed the student’s leadership skills in class.”)  \n•  CONSENT REQUIRED: A recommendation that includes any personally identifiable information (grades, GPA, etc.) (e.g.“The student earned a 3.8 GPA and ranked in the top 10% of the program.”)  \nStep 2: If required, ensure consent is on file.  \n•  PREFERRED METHOD: Where possible, you are encouraged to have the student/alum complete the Office of the Registrar’s Faculty Letter of Recommendation Consent. Upon submission, the Office of the Registrar will provide the details of the consent to the faculty so they can move forward with the recommendation.  \n• ALTERNATE METHOD: Some recommendation forms might include predefined consent language. Please be sure it meets the following requirements:  \no Must specify the records that may be disclosed in the recommendation .  \no Must clearly state the purpose of the disclosure.  \no Must identify the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure can be made.  \nStep 3: Write the letter, securely send it to the recipient and retain a copy.  \n• Letters of recommendation and any required consents are considered a part of the  \nstudent’s/alum’s education record and must be retained according to the document retention schedule of the university. Letters and consents can be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar for storage.  \n• A student has the right to read the recommendation unless they have waived that right in their signed consent.  \n• Always securely send recommendations. When sending recommendations to third parties, please remember that any documents with personally identifiable information must only be electronically sent through encrypted email or other secure means.","cbCaikbjfIJTVHZA","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikbjfIJTVHZA","pdf",142833,"English","# Faculty Guidance: Letters of Recommendation and FERPA\n## Step 1: Determine if consent is required\n## Step 2: If required, ensure consent is on file\n## Step 3: Write the letter, securely send it to the recipient and retain a copy","[{\"question\":\"When is signed consent required for a letters of recommendation under FERPA?\",\"answer\":\"Consent is required when the recommendation includes personally identifiable information such as grades or GPA. It is not required when the recommendation is based solely on the recommender’s observation or knowledge.\"},{\"question\":\"What should be ensured if consent is required?\",\"answer\":\"Consent must be on file. The preferred method is using the Office of the Registrar’s Faculty Letter of Recommendation Consent, or an alternate method that includes disclosure records, the purpose, and the parties who may receive the disclosure.\"},{\"question\":\"How should faculty send recommendation letters securely and what records must be retained?\",\"answer\":\"Recommendations and any required consents are part of the student’s/alum’s education record and must be retained per the university’s retention schedule. When sending to third parties, documents containing personally identifiable information must be transmitted only through encrypted email or other secure means, and a copy should be retained.\"}]","Faculty Guidance - Letters of Recommendation and FERPA - Practical Steps | PDF",1789530592]