Answering Parent Calls

Partnering with Parents to

Provide Great Service

Meet the Millennial Student

• Scheduled, structured, and shadowed since birth.

• Raised with car seats, safety helmets, playgroups, soccer leagues and cell phones.

• Technologically savvy – used to easy access and instant gratification.

• Enjoy strong connection to parents and desire parental involvement.

Meet the Millennial Parent• Some delayed having children until older and

financially secure.

• Practiced “Attachment style” parenting.

• Their children tend to be more central to their sense

of purpose.

• Involved in most aspects of their child’s existence.

The Millennial Parent on College

“These students are the product of 18 years

of dedication and sacrifice. To expect

sudden relinquishment of their

responsibility to an educational entity is

naïve at best.”

Kanna Hudson, millenialgeneration.org blog

Objectives Understand the facts and myths of FERPA: What can

and can’t be said.

Strengthen our perception of parents as valued stakeholders, united with us in the same goal of success for our students

Gain confidence in being able to say no to specific requests, while still serving the needs of parents and students.

Gain some tools and strategies for being able to stay out of the middle, while helping students to grow in responsibility

Learn some de-escalation techniques to use with parents who may be upset

The Panel

Jason Bentley, Coordinator of FYE

Karen Hutslar, Registrar

Bill O’dell, Troutman Hall RHD

Patty Pickler, Assistant Director of SFA

Mary Roy, Assistant General Counsel

FERPA at CMU

What Every Office Needs to Know

-Mary Roy, Assistant General Counsel

Statutory Basis

US Law: 20 US Code §1232g

Implementing Regulations: 34 CFR Part

99

What FERPA Does

Safeguards student privacy

Allows students the right to inspect and

review their education records

What FERPA Prohibits

Under FERPA, CMU must not disclose

education records to others without either:

The student’s permission; or

A lawfully issued subpoena

Who is a Student?

Must be a person who has been admitted

to CMU, and who then actually enrolls

Does not include admitted students (or

applicants) who do not subsequently enroll

What are Education Records?

Records, files, documents, other materials

which:

Contain information directly related to a

student, AND

Are maintained by CMU or a person acting for

CMU

Education Records are NOT:

Those which are in the sole possession of the maker

Those maintained by CMU Police (law enforcement records)

Those concerning non-student employees

Those of students who are 18 years or older, made by a professional, and made fro the purpose of providing care or treatment

Directory Information

This is information which may be disclosed without the student’s consent

Directory Information includes:

Name, address, telephone number

Date and place of birth

Major field of study

Participation in officially recognized activities

Degrees and awards received

Previous institution attended

Directory Information

Students have the choice to “opt out” of

disclosure of directory information

The Registrar’s Office website (located at

http://www.registrars.cmich.edu/ ) explains

how a student may “opt out”

FERPA Allows Disclosure

To other CMU personnel who have a

legitimate educational interest in the

records

This does not mean everyone

Can’t disclose just to satisfy curiosity

To officials of other schools the student

wishes to attend, if the student is notified

Allowed Disclosure, cont’d

To various state or federal officials

To organizations conducting studies to

improve instruction, with certain

protections (consult with GC)

To accrediting organizations

Parents of dependent students (minors)

To anyone concerning registered sex

offenders, pursuant to the law

Allowed Disclosure, cont’d

To appropriate persons in connection with

an emergency, if disclosure is necessary

to protect the health and safety of the

student or others

To entities or persons designated in

subpoenas

To an alleged victim of a violent crime or a

non-forcible sex offense

Allowed Disclosure, cont’d

To anyone, if the record concerns the final

results of any disciplinary proceeding

against student perpetrators of violent

crime or non-forcible sex offenses, in

certain circumstances

REMEMBER

FERPA allows disclosure in the previous

circumstances without the student’s

consent; it does not require it

Other Permitted Disclosures

To Parents:

If student has violated federal, state, or local

laws or rules governing use of alcohol or

controlled substances

If the student is under 21; AND

Student’s action is a disciplinary violation

Other Permitted Disclosures

To other CMU officials or personnel

If record is about student’s conduct that posed

a health/safety risk to the student or others;

AND

Other Permitted Disclosures

To other CMU officials or personnel

If record is about student’s conduct that posed

a health/safety risk to the student or others;

AND

Other CMU personnel have a legitimate

educational interest in the information

How to Say No and

Still Assist Parents and

Students

Karen Hutslar and Patty Pickler

How to Say No And Still

Assist Parents and Students

Listen

Empathize

Stay calm

Understand you are not alone in dealing

with parents

Understand that parents want to help their

son or daughter

Restricting Directory

Information

Items to Consider Having a department form signed by student to

release information (pros and cons)

Receivable Accounting form (for billing

information) -This does not authorize release of

grade information

I understand that this pertains to information regarding

ALL of the following: ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

(itemized charges and credits); FINANCIAL AID

(itemized charges, credits, and refunds); HEALTH

SERVICES (summarized charges and insurance

credits); HOUSING (charges, credits, and itemized

damage charges); REGISTRATION (number of credit

hours, hours added, dropped, or withdrawn);

TELEPHONE (summary of charges and credits).

Items to Consider (cont’d)

Making notes of your conversation(s)

Reinforcing with the parent how important it is for their

son/daughter to use their cmich e-mail account

Not giving out information just because the parent works

at CMU

It’s okay to say “I don’t know”

- Give name and phone # of someone who can answer

(transfer the call & stay on the line) or

- Offer to find out the answer and call them back.

Follow through is key

Dealing with vulgar or threatening calls

Items to Consider – Student is

Not Being Honest

Some of this cleared up by explaining

current policies and procedures

Send a letter summarizing the issues to

the student at their current address

Suggest a meeting or conference call with

the parent and their son/daughter

Questions on Course

Specifics Emphasize that the student needs to talk to the

instructor

Let them know about office hours

Internship Issues

- if for credit they should contact their faculty

advisor

- if not for credit they need to make a decision

about quitting but should also consider how this

impacts their resume

Questions/Concerns about the

Instructor

Emphasize that their son or daughter

should speak directly to the instructor

about concerns

Communication - E-mail/texting vs. phone

calls and face to face contact

Explain that major concerns can be

brought to the Department Chair

Give Alternatives

Explain what information is available to the

student on the portal or blackboard

Offer to contact the student directly or ask

them to have the student contact you

Give the parents the names of other

individuals students can talk to about

issues

Suggest a meeting or conference call with

the parent and their son/daughter

Explaining Policies and

Procedures

Incomplete grades – how does a student

qualify

Grades awarded – grievance procedure

Course requirements – defined in the

syllabus

Other important university policies and

procedures contained in other websites

(e.g Receivable Accounting, Scholarships

and Financial Aid, Registrars)

It’s All in How We Say It…

Strategies for working with difficult situations, and/or parents!

Bill O’dell and Jason Bentley

The LEARN Approach

LISTEN…seek to understand the issues(s)

EMPATHIZE…communicate care and understanding

ACQUIRE…ask for details, information about the case,

student, etc.

RESPOND…share details about processes, procedures,

and strategies that the parents/students might consider

NOTE…keep a record of the cases and use these to

continually develop and improve your office or

department’s work with students and parents

The Case of the Missing Prof

At 9am, Mary receives a call from the

parents of Shawna. According to the

parents, Shawna is having difficulty in her

class, has tried to meet with the instructor,

sent emails, called and has never had a

response. The parents want to know what

you’re going to do to help.

The Case of Todd’s Grade

You receive an email from Jenell White

about her son Todd. According to Jenell,

Todd received a poor grade in his class.

She believes the grade was an error and

wants to know what she can do since the

instructor will not return her calls or emails

about Todd’s final grade.

The Case of Plagiarizer Pam

Professor Good determined that Pam plagiarized and elected to issue a failing grade. Pam’s judicial record indicates that Pam’s had this issue before. Pam’s father calls you and is outraged. According to Pam’s father, she would never plagiarize and he wants to know what you’re going to do to help Professor Good realize that he can’t just fail Pam for a mistake in one paper.

The Case of Cranky Kramer

Mrs. Glee phones you to express her concern about the

quality of instruction taking place in Professor Kramer’s

class. According to Mrs. Glee, her son Javier is in

Kramer’s class and indicated that it is common for the

class to be cancelled or for Kramer to scold the students

for being “dumb.” Mrs. Glee also stated that on one

occasion, her son had to meet with Kramer. Kramer was

late for the meeting and this resulted in her son missing

another class. According to Mrs. Glee, Professor Kramer

threatened students telling them that complaining about

the class would only make life worse for them.

ResourcesBooks & Articles

Haworth, J. G. (1997, Sept/Oct). The misrepresentation of generation X. About

Campus, 10-15.

Kuh, G. D., & Hall, J. E. (1993). Using cultural perspectives in student affairs. In G. D.

Kuh (Ed.), Cultural perspectives in student affairs work (pp. 1-11). Lanham, MD:

American College Personnel Association.

Love, P. G., et al. (1993). Student culture. In G. D. Kuh (Ed.), Cultural perspectives in

student affairs work (pp. 59-79. Lanham, MD: American College Personnel

Association.

Marano, H. E. (2004, Nov/Dec). A nation of wimps. Psychology Today Magazine.

Mullendore, R. M., Banahan, L. A., Ramsey, J. L. (2005). Developing a partnership with

today’s college parents (pp. 1-10). In K. Keppler, R. H. Mullendore, & A. Carey (Eds.)

Partnering with the parents of today’s college students. Washington, D.C.: NASPA

publications.

Resources Continued

Books & Articles

Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1991). Belonging to a "generation." In Generations: The history

of America's future, 1584 - 2069 (pp. 58-68). New York: William Morrow and

Company.

Strange, C. C., & Banning, J. H. (2001). Educating by design: Creating campus learning

environments that work. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Wartman, K. L., & Savage, M. (2008). Parental involvement in higher education:

Understanding the relationship between students, parents, and the institution. San

Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Williams, L. B. (1998). Behind every face is a story. About Campus, 16-21.

Online Resources

Online

www.fye.cmich.edu/collegestudents.htm

2 Hour Webinar by Marjorie Savage, the Parent Program Director at the University of Minnesota:

Effectively Communicating with Parents: Addressing the Needs of Baby Boomers, GenXers, and First Generation College Parents

Link to Recording

https://innovativeeducators.webex.com/innovativeeducators/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=6788452&rKey=DC344B4EF7424035

Link to PowerPoint Presentation:

http://www.innovativeeducators.org//v/vspfiles/V4_Backup/parents.ppt