About Partners In Eductation

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On May 24, 2005, Governor Phil Bredesen signed into law the Student Information in Higher Education Act of 2005. This law requires that four-year institutions of higher education, both public and private, develop new policies and procedures for releasing student information to parents, guardians and other designated individuals. The law directed that Tennessee Tech University conduct a one-year pilot study, report to a legislative committee, and to make recommendations on the final wording of the law. The pilot study was conducted during the 2005-2006 school year and the results were communicated to the legislative committee on May 25, 2006. Final recommendations were then approved by the committee and are now a part of the law. The pertinent part of the legislation reads:

Beginning in Fall 2007, all institutions of higher education shall effectuate the minimum provisions of this Act for a period of five years, at which time the provisions will be reviewed by a jointly appointed task force of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the University of Tennessee System, the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association to recommend or not recommend to the legislature the continuance of this Act. At a minimum, each institution of higher education shall identify an opportunity to communicate to parents and students the ability to execute consent forms authorizing the institution of higher education to release certain otherwise confidential education records, as defined by federal law, to a designated parent or third party. A student may withdraw his or her consent upon written notice to the institution of higher education.