The Student Information Release and Authorization (SIRA) form allows the student to assign a Passcode to themselves as well as to others. When a caller is inquiring about student-specific, FERPA-protected information, you can utilize the SIRA passcode to authenticate identity.
- Go to SPACMNT or the comments section of the Advising Dashboard, and look for RSI entries which will contain a name and passcode.
- If the caller is the student, ask them to provide their own passcode. If a valid code is provided, no additional authentication is needed. (If the student does not have a passcode assigned to themself, they can provide you with a passcode they have assigned to someone else. No additional validation is needed if they can do so.)
- If the caller is not the student, ask if they have been authorized to access student information and records. If yes, request the passcode. If a valid code is provided, no additional authentication is needed.
If the passcode is not known or does not exist, request that the caller log in to add one (if the student). If not the student, have the caller contact the student to ask them to give them authorization and a passcode through the SIRA form. You might say:
"Please log in (or have your student log in) and create a passcode. This code will allow us to discuss your/the student's information now and in the future without issue."