Privacy Regulations & Ethical Standards Flashcards

An enrollment counselor is approached by a law enforcement officer requesting a student's address without a court order. Under FERPA, the counselor should:

Answer: Refuse and direct the officer to obtain a lawful court order or subpoena

FERPA generally requires a court order or lawfully issued subpoena before releasing student education records to law enforcement, absent a health/safety emergency exception.

Which of the following is an example of a conflict of interest for an enrollment counselor?

Answer: Receiving a personal bonus from a third-party lender for steering students to their loans

Receiving personal financial incentives for steering students toward specific lenders or products constitutes a conflict of interest and violates ethical enrollment standards.

A student's parent calls demanding their adult child's enrollment status. The student has not provided written consent. What should the counselor do?

Answer: Decline to confirm or deny enrollment without the student's written consent

Once enrolled as a postsecondary student, FERPA rights belong to the student regardless of financial dependency, so disclosure requires the student's written consent.

Under the Higher Education Act's incentive compensation ban, enrollment counselors are prohibited from receiving commissions or bonuses based on:

Answer: The number of students successfully enrolled

The HEA's incentive compensation ban prohibits institutions from compensating enrollment staff based on the number of students enrolled to prevent high-pressure recruiting practices.

When a data breach exposes applicant personal information, what is the enrollment counselor's immediate ethical responsibility?

Answer: Notify affected individuals and report the breach to appropriate institutional authorities

Ethical and legal obligations require prompt notification of affected individuals and internal reporting so the institution can contain the breach and comply with applicable breach notification laws.

Which of the following practices best demonstrates an enrollment counselor's commitment to ethical marketing?

Answer: Providing accurate graduation rates and employment outcomes as reported under federal disclosure requirements

Ethical marketing requires presenting accurate, federally mandated disclosures such as graduation rates and employment outcomes so prospective students can make informed decisions.

A prospective student requests that an enrollment counselor complete their FAFSA on their behalf and submit it. What is the appropriate action?

Answer: Assist and guide the student but have the student complete and submit it themselves

Enrollment counselors may assist and explain the FAFSA process, but the student must personally complete and certify their own application to ensure accuracy and legal compliance.