The Instructor's Guide & Certificate for Information Security
Instructors, Teaching Assistants, and staff with teaching or advising responsibilities, use this section to learn more about FERPA (the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act) and other security issues pertinent in instructional contexts, and earn your Security Certificate for access to Photo Rosters.
Learn more about FERPA & Information Security
FERPA is a federal law that protects the confidentiality of student records. Our materials provide a practical guide to the FERPA requirements at UMass Amherst and the steps that are necessary for a secure information environment. Learn more about what qualifies as confidential student information, and how to handle this information securely.
Earn your Security Certificate and Get Access to Photo Rosters
Step One: Read the Instructor's Guide to Information Security (pdf, 812K)
The Instructor's Guide to Information Security applies FERPA requirements to real-life scenarios that instructors are likely to encounter in the classroom. Read the guide to find out what constitutes a FERPA violation and what you can do to avoid breaking the law.
Step Two: Take the Security Quiz
Photo Rosters, a new type of class roster featuring students' UCard photos, are available to any active instructor who successfully completes the Security Quiz.
The quiz is a pre-requisite only for viewing student photos in SPIRE; it is not required for regular instructor access to SPIRE.
Once you finish the quiz, check your UMass email for your Security Certificate. If you are an active instructor, your SPIRE profile will be updated with access to Photo Rosters within three business days.
Related Topics
FERPA Certification
If you are an instructor applying for 'SPIRE for Staff' access, you need to earn your FERPA Certification (not the Security Certificate) as part of the application process.
Academic Regulations
The Academic Regulations handbook publishes the University's official guidelines for releasing student information.
