Q. What’s the purpose of this form?
A. A Federal law called FERPA protects the privacy of your academic records. College regulations don’t let me discuss your grades or other confidential matters in email, because email is not secure. Since this protection is for your benefit, you can choose to accept the risk if you want the convenience of discussing your grades or similar information in email.
Q. What do you mean, “email is not secure”?
A. First, there’s no way to know the actual sender of an email. If it says it comes from you, it might be from you, or someone with access to your computer, or someone who has your password or has guessed it, or someone who used a public computer after you did.
Second, even if the email is actually from you, anyone with a little skill can read email (or anything else) as it passes between the server and your computer. This is especially easy on most wireless networks.
Third, some services such as gmail save your emails, analyze them, and combine them with information from other sources.
Q. What if I don’t care about that stuff?
A. That’s your prerogative — it’s why this form exists. Fill it out and sign it. Then we can discuss anything in email that we could discuss in person.
Q. What if I do care, and don’t want to take the risk?
A. That’s also your prerogative — just toss this form in the recycle bin. It’s completely voluntary and you will not be penalized in any way. If you have questions about your grades or other confidential information we’ll be able to discuss them only in person.
Q. Can I change my mind later?
A. Yes. You can give me this waiver at any time up to the final exam. If you decide you don’t want to discuss confidential information in email, just tell me in email or in person.
Q. How do you know my email address?
A. I use the address that you’ve entered in IQ Web.
Q. If I don’t turn in this waiver, will you send me the general announcements you send to the class?
A. Yes. I send class announcements to all the addresses registered in IQ Web. Please make sure yours is current.
Fall 2008 MATH200 section ________
I authorize you to send me grades or other confidential information that I may request from my email address as listed in IQ Web.
Print your name:
Sign your name:
Today’s date: