Graduate Assistantships and Student Workers FAQs
Can Graduate Assistants and student workers access student records, or share them internally for legitimate educational purposes?
- All Mason employees, including faculty, staff, graduate assistants, student workers, or contractors doing work on the behalf of Mason can continue to access student contact information in the course of fulfilling their necessary job duties and responsibilities.
- Please use your official Mason email for all work related communications.
Can a student be required to share their email, phone number or address for employment purposes?
- A student’s contact information may be shared with other staff or enrolled students for educational purposes or university business.
- The student may choose to restrict the release of this information by completing a Request to Prevent Disclosure Form, under the forms tab.
- In any other instance, a student cannot be forced to share their student contact information.
Do graduate research assistants, teaching assistants, or other student workers need to provide consent before I share their contact information with other students?
- Student employees do not need to provide consent if the email will be shared with other staff or enrolled students for educational purposes or university business.
- As a best practice, departments or offices should request student’s consent to share their email for employment purposes.
- In cases where a student employee has submitted a Request to Prevent Disclosure Form, a departmental (generic) email may be used.
What if I have further questions?
- Contact the FERPA Compliance Office: ferpa@gmu.edu
