Four legal considerations involved in program evaluation are briefly described: defamation, contract, evaluation malpractice, and confidentiality of sources. Two hypothetical evaluation problems illustrate these legal issues. Suggestions for evaluation practice, based on these legal issues, are presented. (BW)

Reviewed are attempts to keep secret the identity of crime labs research showed to be performing poorly. The questions probed are "when do private citizens have a right to enter into contracts for confidentiality and when does the state have the right to attempt to force citizens to break them?" (RM)

Examined are the legal rights of school counselors in relation to confidential communications from student clients. (GW)

Court decisions regarding the right of individuals to privacy necessitate the development of new administrative strategies of handling confidential data. (SP)

Reprinted here, with permission of the Russell Sage Foundation, selected excerpts from Guidelines for the Collection, Maintenance, and Dissemination of Pupil Records, published in 1970. The document is the report of a work conference, convened by tehe Foundation in May 1969. (Author)

Author uses a whimsical approach in discussing the student record book, used as a weapon by many teachers. (SP)

It is imperative that stringent protective devices be included in each information system to involve limitations upon the scope and character of the data that are collected, their dissemination, and their use. (Author)

Inclusion and processing of student data necessitates surrender of many individual privacy rights for and upon admission to college. (IR)

With the growing number of employment opportunities available in the medical field, business educators need to reevaluate existing medical secretary programs. Areas that need special attention are medical terminology (anatomy, laboratory language, etc.), report formats, and the importance of confidentiality of patient information. (CT)

Discusses the results of a survey of the policies companies have adopted to protect confidential employee data and the findings of the U.S. Privacy Protection Study Commission. (Author/IRT)

The Buckley Amendment limits the right of access to letters of recommendation only to admitted students and allows schools to request that applicants sign a waiver of their access rights. Statutory amendment is the best way to correct this "catch 22" situation. Available from The Law Center, University of Southern California, University…

The increased use of computer matching to detect fraud and abuse in government programs has led to concerns for the privacy of personal information. Reviews the use of matching programs and regulations in Canada, the United States, and the European Community, and suggests policy changes. (80 references) (LAE)