Confidentiality, Posting Grades, and Returning Material
It is essential that you maintain confidentiality in posting grades and returning exams and other student material. The most efficient way of posting grades is through Canvas. For details see the Canvas section. DO NOT publicly post grades using the students’ names, ID numbers, or any portion of these numbers. The University lawyers have decided that it is ILLEGAL under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) for anyone to post a grade with any Social Security number, Student ID number OR ANY PORTION OF THESE NUMBERS.
Psychology Department policy for returning student papers and exams
The Dean’s Office has informed us that we must discontinue returning student papers and exams by simply putting them in piles or in the cabinet in the reading room for anyone to search through. This policy has been designed under the direction of the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies.
Goals:
- Keep papers and grades confidential
- Have a workable system for returning papers to students who want them
- Prevent plagiarism
- Keep clutter out of hallways
Here are two methods for meeting these goals. In the first method, the instructor does most of the work. In the second method, the Department does most of the work. If you prefer some other method of returning papers to your students, you may use that so long as it does not conflict with the goals stated above.
- Students who want papers returned should give the instructor a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Unsent papers would be stored by the instructor for at least one year. After one year, the papers may be destroyed by the faculty member in a manner that ensures confidentiality or given to Gary Malchow who will have them destroyed in such a manner.
- Place papers/assignments in sealed envelopes in TA’s mailboxes. Provide time limit for retrieval.