A Missing Student
"Jason, I need your help,' says Prof. Steve Simonds addressing Jason Reynolds the departmental administrator.
"Sure, what can I do for you Prof. Simonds?" asks Reynolds.
"I need to find Max Blank, you know, one of my grad students, so he can sign an authorship agreement. He's always worked late at night, and seems to like his privacy, but at least he'd show up for group meetings once a week - not lately. It's been at least 6 weeks since I've seen him. He doesn't respond to emails or messages left on his desk. So I'm going to call him, or if he doesn't answer, drop by his apartment. I checked and his contact information's not on the university directory. Can you give me his home address and phone number?"
Case Discussion
Interests of the affected parties
- Jason Reynolds has an interest in performing the responsibilities of his position effectively and efficiently. Maintaining good relationships with the faculty in the department are very helpful for this.
- Steve Simonds has interests in producing and publishing results from his laboratory, in graduating successful graduate students, and in enhancing his reputation.
- Max Blank appears to have an interest in keeping to himself and maintaining his privacy. He also has an interest in his graduate education and becoming a mature, professional researcher.
- The university has an interest in the success of its research laboratories, usually measured in publications produced and grant monies received.
Obligations
- Jason Reynolds, as a departmental administrator, has obligations to
facilitate the work of the members of the department, the education of
its students, and to follow university policies. In this instance,
the relevant regulations would have to do with disclosure of personal
information. Since Blank is a graduate student, access to his academic
and personal information is regulated by the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPAFERPA
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the "Buckley Amendment."), also known as the "Buckley Amendment." This does not mean that no one is permitted access to Blank's information without his express permission, only that the rules must be followed concerning who qualifies to receive such information. As stated on the BC website, "One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to University officials with legitimate educational interests. A University official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position.." - Steve Simonds, as a laboratory director and advisor of graduate students, has an obligation to engage in active supervision of both the research activities in his lab, and the education of the graduate students in his research group. He also has an obligation to follow the norms for authorship in his discipline.
- Max Blank, as a graduate student and researcher, has an obligation to be available and to interact with members of the group with which he does research and particularly with his advisor. For reasons of both safety and education, he needs to let at least Simonds know how to contact him.
- The university as obligations to facilitate the education and professional development of its graduate students, to support the completion and publication of the work described in grants that are funded, and to follow federal regulations.
Ethical Issues
Reynolds may feel a conflict between responding to Simonds' request and protecting Blank's privacy. There is also a conflict between Blank's right to privacy, and the interests of Simonds and the university to have research completed safely with appropriate supervision, and published in an appropriate and timely manner. Then there is the conflict between Reynolds' interest in maintaining a good relationship with Simonds, and Reynolds' obligation to support the educational mission of the university possibly elaborated on by departmental or school guidelines.
Consequences of Actions
If Reynolds were to refuse to give Simonds Blank's home address and phone number thinking that this is an unwarranted invasion of Blank's privacy, he would most probably damage his relationship with Simonds and potentially other faculty in the department. This refusal would not be required by FERPA (see the exception noted above), but Reynolds might be concerned about what could happen if Simonds appears on Blank's doorstep.
Reynolds could simply give Simonds the information he requests and do nothing more. This would be consistent with the requirements of FERPA, but would not address obligations Reynolds has concerning the ways in which research and graduate education are conducted in the department.
Based on what Reynolds has heard from Simonds, Reynolds has reason to question whether having a graduate student doing research alone at night is consistent with lab safely policies, and whether Simonds has taken steps to check the authenticity of the results that Blank is presenting to him. The question of the quality of a advisor-trainee relationship in which the two have not communicated for 6 weeks, and do not have contact information comes into play. Most probably these are not issues that Reynolds can easily discuss directly with Simonds; it depends upon their relationship and the history between Simonds and Blank. However, mentioning them to other faculty such as the graduate program director, members of Blank's dissertation committee, or members of the departmental safety committee, might be ways to begin addressing these legitimate concerns.
