How should student-athlete medical and academic records be protected under privacy laws?

• A. Access should be limited to authorized personnel; records must be stored securely and shared only as required by law and policy.
• B. Anyone can access student-athlete medical and academic records.
• C. Records must be shared with all faculty regardless of role.
• D. Records can be stored on unsecured servers.

Answer: (A)

Protecting student-athlete privacy means limiting who can access sensitive medical and academic information, and keeping those records stored securely. Privacy laws like FERPA (educational records) and, when applicable, HIPAA (health information) require that only individuals with a legitimate educational or treatment need can see the records, and that sharing happens only as required by law or school policy. This is why the best answer emphasizes access limited to authorized personnel, secure storage, and sharing only as mandated. Allowing anyone to view records, sharing with all faculty, or using unsecured servers would violate privacy protections and create risks of breaches and misuse.