Degree Name
EdD (Doctor of Education)
Program
Educational Leadership
Date of Award
12-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Paul Garton
Committee Members
Jill Channing, Kevin Smith
Abstract
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a foundational federal law designed to protect the privacy of student education records. FERPA includes exceptions—such as for health and safety emergencies—that institutions may interpret and apply in varied ways. This qualitative study explores how higher education professionals across diverse institutional contexts conceptualize and apply the health or safety exception, and how those interpretations influence campus safety practices and policy-making. Through semi-structured interviews with compliance officers and administrators, the research examines the intersection of federal policy, institutional culture, and individual judgment.
Findings reveal a range of interpretations shaped by institutional risk tolerance, crisis experience, and access to legal counsel or training. This study contributes to the broader discourse on privacy and safety in higher education by highlighting patterns, concerns, and promising practices that can inform policy, training, and student support. It underscores the need for clearer federal guidance and stronger institutional frameworks to ensure FERPA is applied consistently and ethically, balancing student rights with campus well-being.
Document Type
Dissertation - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Deaver, Britney, "From Policy to Practice: How Institutional Interpretations of FERPA Shape the Campus Safety Conversation" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4607. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4607
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Education Law Commons, Higher Education Commons, Legislation Commons
