70 FR 167 pgs. 51348-51351 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
Type: NOTICEVolume: 70Number: 167Pages: 51348 - 51351
FR document: [FR Doc. 05-17240 Filed 8-29-05; 8:45 am]
Agency: Education Department
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
AGENCY:
Program and Analytic Studies, Policy and Program Studies Service, Department of Education.
ACTION:
Notice of a New System of Records.
SUMMARY:
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (Privacy Act), 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) 552a, the Department of Education (Department) publishes this notice of a new system of records entitled "The Graduate Fellowship Programs Participants Study (18-17-01)." This system will contain information about graduate students who received financial support between the years 1997-1999 through one or more of the following fellowship programs sponsored by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship Program (FLAS), the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program (DDRA), the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program (Javits), and the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Fellowship Program (GAANN). It will include names; social security numbers; addresses; demographic information such as race/ethnicity, age, educational background, degree and enrollment information; fellowship funding and financial support; employment; and responses to survey questions.
The Department seeks comment on this new system of records described in this notice, in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act.
DATES:
We must receive your comments on the proposed routine uses for this system of records on or before September 29, 2005.
The Department filed a report describing the new system of records covered by this notice with the Chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Chair of the House Committee on Government Reform, and the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 24, 2005. This system of records will become effective at the later date of-(1) The expiration of the 40-day period for OMB review on October 5, 2005 or (2) September 29, 2005, unless the system of records needs to be changed as a result of public comment or OMB review.
ADDRESSES:
Address all comments about the proposed routine uses of this system to Dr. David Goodwin, Director, Program and Analytic Studies Division, Policy and Program Studies Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6W231, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 401-3630.
If you prefer to send your comments through the Internet, use the following address: Comments@ed.gov .
You must include the term "Graduate Fellowship Programs Participants Study" in the subject line of the electronic message.
During and after the comment period, you may inspect all comments about this notice in room 6W200, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal holidays.
Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the Rulemaking Record
On request, we supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public rulemaking record for this notice.
If you want to schedule an appointment for this type of aid, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT .
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. David Goodwin. Telephone: (202) 401-3630. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format ( e.g. , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
The Privacy Act requires the Department to publish in the Federal Register this notice of a new system of records maintained by the Department. The Department's regulations implementing the Privacy Act are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in 34 CFR part 5b.
The Privacy Act applies to a record about an individual that is maintained in a system of records from which information is retrieved by a unique identifier associated with each individual, such as a name or social security number. The information about each individual is called a "record" and the system, whether manual or computer-driven, is called a "system of records." The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish a system of records notice in the Federal Register and to prepare reports to OMB and congressional committees whenever the agency publishes a new system of records.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news.fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at (202) 512-1530.
Note:
The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register . Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: August 25, 2005.
Tom Luce,
Assistant Secretary , Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.
For reasons discussed in the preamble, the Director, Policy and Program Studies Service, U.S. Department of Education, publishes a notice of a new system of records to read as follows:
18-17-01
SYSTEM NAME:
The Graduate Fellowship Programs Participants Study.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
None.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Program and Analytic Studies Division, Policy and Program Studies Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 6W231, Washington, DC 20202.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
This system contains records on graduate students who received financial support through one or more of the following programs sponsored by OPE: FLAS, DDRA, Javits, and GAANN during the years 1997-1999.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
This system consists of the name, address, and social security number of the study participants as well as demographic information such as race/ethnicity, age, educational background, degree and enrollment information; fellowship funding and financial support; employment; and responses to survey questions.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
20 U.S.C. 6381h and 6381j.
PURPOSE(S):
The information in this system is used for the following purposes: (1) to identify the educational outcomes of study participants; and (2) to provide information to the Department on the extent to which study participants obtain employment in areas that correspond to their fields of study.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES OF USERS AND THE PURPOSE OF SUCH USES:
The Department may disclose information contained in a record in this system of records under the routine uses listed in this system of records without the consent of the individual if the disclosure is compatible with the purposes for which the record was collected.
These disclosures may be made on a case-by-case basis or, if the Department has complied with the computer matching requirements of the Privacy Act, under a computer matching agreement.
(1) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act of 1974 Advice Disclosure. The Department may disclose records to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Management and Budget if the Department seeks advice regarding whether records maintained in the system of records are required to be released under the FOIA and the Privacy Act of 1974.
(2) Disclosure to the Department of Justice (DOJ). The Department may disclose records to the DOJ to the extent necessary for obtaining DOJ advice on any matter relevant to an audit, inspection, or other inquiry related to the programs covered by this system.
(3) Contract Disclosure. If the Department contracts with an entity for the purposes of performing any function that requires disclosure of records in this system to employees of the contractor, the Department may disclose the records to those employees. Before entering into such a contract, the Department shall require the contractor to maintain Privacy Act safeguards as required under 5 U.S.C. 552a(m) with respect to the records in this system.
(4) Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Disclosures.
(a) Introduction. In the event that one of the following parties is involved in litigation or ADR, or has an interest in litigation or ADR, the Department may disclose certain records to the parties described in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this routine use under the conditions specified in those paragraphs:
(i) The Department, or any of its components; or
(ii) Any Department employee in his or her official capacity; or
(iii) Any Department employee in his or her official capacity if the Department of Justice (DOJ) is asked to provide or arrange for representation of the employee;
(iv) Any Department employee in his or her individual capacity if the Department has agreed to represent the employee; or
(v) The United States if the Department determines that the litigation is likely to affect the Department or any of its components.
(b) Disclosure to the Department of Justice (DOJ). If the Department determines that disclosure of certain records to the DOJ, or attorneys employed by the DOJ, is relevant and necessary to litigation or ADR, and is compatible with the purpose for which the records were collected, the Department may disclose those records as a routine use to the DOJ.
(c) Adjudicative Disclosures. If the Department determines that disclosure of certain records to an adjudicative body before which the Department is authorized to appear, an individual or entity designated by the Department or otherwise empowered to resolve or mediate disputes is relevant and necessary to the litigation or ADR, the Department may disclose those records as a routine use to the adjudicative body, individual, or entity.
(d) Parties, counsels, representatives, and witnesses. If the Department determines that disclosure of certain records to a party, counsel, representative or witness is relevant and necessary to the litigation or ADR, the Department may disclose those records as a routine use to the party, counsel, representative, or witness.
(5) Research Disclosure. The Department may disclose records to a researcher if an appropriate official of the Department determines that the individual or organization to which the disclosure would be made is qualified to carry out specific research related to functions or purposes of this system of records. The official may disclose records from this system of records to that researcher solely for the purpose of carrying out that research related to the functions or purposes of this system of records. The researcher shall be required to maintain Privacy Act safeguards with respect to the disclosed records.
(6) Congressional Member Disclosure. The Department may disclose records to a member of Congress from the record of an individual in response to an inquiry from the member made at the written request of that individual. The Member's right to the information is no greater than the right of the individual who requested it.
(7) Disclosure for use by law enforcement agencies. The Department may disclose information to any Federal, State, local, or other agency responsible for enforcing, investigating, or prosecuting violations of administrative, civil, or criminal law or regulation if that information is relevant to any enforcement, regulatory, investigative, or prosecutorial responsibility within the agency's jurisdiction.
(8) Enforcement disclosure. In the event that information in this system of records indicates, either on its face or in connection with other information, a violation or potential violation of any applicable statute, regulation, or order of a competent authority, the Department may disclose the relevant records to the appropriate agency, whether foreign, Federal, State, Tribal, or local, charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting that violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, Executive order, rule, regulation, or order issued pursuant thereto.
(9) Employment, benefit, and contracting disclosure.
(a) Decisions by the Department. The Department may disclose a record to a Federal, State, or local agency maintaining civil, criminal, or other relevant enforcement or other pertinent records, or to another public authority or professional organization, if necessary to obtain information relevant to a decision concerning the hiring or retention of an employee or other personnel action, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant, or other benefit.
(b) Decisions by Other Public Agencies and Professional Organizations. The Department may disclose a record to a Federal, State, local, or foreign agency or other public authority or professional organization, in connection with the hiring or retention of an employee or other personnel action, the issuance of a security clearance, the reporting of an investigation of an employee, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant, or other benefit, to the extent that the record is relevant and necessary to the receiving agency's decision on the matter.
(10) Employee grievance, complaint or conduct disclosure. The Department may disclose a record in this system of records to another agency of the Federal Government if the record is relevant to one of the following proceedings regarding a present or former employee of the Department: Complaint, grievance, discipline or competence determination proceedings. The disclosure may only be made during the course of the proceeding.
(11) Labor organization disclosure. The Department may disclose records from this system of records to an arbitrator to resolve disputes under a negotiated grievance procedure or to officials of labor organizations recognized under 5 U.S.C. Chapter 71 when relevant and necessary to their duties of exclusive representation. The disclosures will be made only as authorized by law.
DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:
Not applicable to this system of records.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
Records are on a computer database as well as in hard copy.
RETRIEVABILITY:
The records in this system are indexed by the name of the individual and/or a number assigned to each individual.
SAFEGUARDS:
All physical access to the Department's site, and the sites of Department contractors where this system of records is maintained, controlled and monitored by security personnel. The computer system employed by the Department offers a high degree of resistance to tampering and circumvention. This security system limits data access to Department and contract staff on a "need to know" basis, and controls individual users" ability to access and alter records within the system. The contractor, InfoUse, has established a set of procedures to ensure confidentiality of data. The system ensures that information identifying individuals is in files physically separated from other research data. InfoUse will maintain security of the complete set of all master data files and documentation. Access to individually identifiable data will be strictly controlled. All data will be kept in locked file cabinets during nonworking hours, and work on hardcopy data will take place in a single room, except for data entry. Physical security of electronic data will also be maintained. Security features that protect project data include password-protected accounts that authorize users to use the InfoUse system but to access only specific network directories and network software; user rights and directory and file attributes that limit those who can use particular directories and files and determine how they can use them; e-mail passwords that authorize the user to access mail services and additional security features that the network administrator establishes for projects as needed.
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
Records are maintained and disposed of in accordance with the Department's Records Disposition Schedules (ED/RDS).
SYSTEM MANAGER AND ADDRESS:
Director, Program and Analytic Studies Division, Policy and Program Studies Service, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6W231, Washington, DC 20202.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
If you wish to determine whether a record exists regarding you in the system of records, contact the system manager. Your request must meet the requirements of the Department's Privacy Act regulations in 34 CFR 5b.5, including proof of identity.
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURE:
If you wish to gain access to a record regarding you in the system of records, contact the system manager. Your request must meet the requirements of the Department's Privacy Act regulations in 34 CFR 5b.5, including proof of identity.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURE:
If you wish to contest the content of a record regarding you in the system of records, contact the system manager. Your request must meet the requirements of the Department's Privacy Act regulations in 34 CFR 5b.7, including proof of identity.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
Information in this system is obtained from surveys with graduate students who received financial support through one or more of the following programs sponsored by OPE: FLAS, DDRA, Javits, and GAANN during the years 1997-1999. Surveys are being conducted as a source of providing information.
EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None.
[FR Doc. 05-17240 Filed 8-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U