Confidentiality

Confidentiality is the guarantee that information is disclosed only to those who are authorized to know it.

The unauthorized or unintended release of confidential information can result in negative publicity for an institution and personal embarrassment. In instances of higher education, federal funds can be withheld from the entire university if breaches of confidential information are identified as a problem by the Family Policy Compliance Office. Therefore, it’s imperative that you know what information to protect and how to protect it.

If you know, or even suspect, that confidential information has been accessed by or unintentionally released to an unauthorized party, you should report the release to the appropriate person or department immediately. Click here for a list of contacts.