SCSU SEEKS FLEXIBILITY TO TELL PARENTS

St. Cloud State University is reviewing what circumstances can allow
the university to legally contact parents about their child's behavior.

State law limits university officials' contact with parents or
guardians of students to cases in which there is a health or safety emergency.

Federal law is much less restrictive and allows institutions to
notify parents when their child is in violation of alcohol or drug
policies, said Mike Gillilan, interim associate vice president for
student life and development.

But the more restrictive state law trumps the federal law, he said.

He'd like to see more flexibility so university officials can have
another option when trying to curb potentially dangerous behavior by students.

Being able to notify the parents of their child's underage drinking
or possession of marijuana would be "a tool in the tool kit,"
Gillilan said. "This is not the be all, end all" in the battle to
reduce high-risk behaviors, he said.

The university is looking at what types of cases might fall into the
"health and safety" exception to the Data Practices Act and whether
the university should contact parents more frequently, Gillilan said.

The university has contacted parents using the health and safety
exception when a student gets intoxicated to the point they require
medical treatment, he said.