Managing Student Records

Policy Statement

The College protects the rights of students with respect to their education records. Education records generally include any personally identifiable records maintained about a student by the institution, including academic, disciplinary, and administrative records. The College must:

• provide students with an annual notice of their rights,
• regulate access to education records in accordance with law and policy,
• maintain records as required by law and policy,
• provide students with the right to request amendment to their education records and the right to a hearing concerning their education records, and
• provide complete records, from all units at the College, in response to a student’s request that records be provided.

Access to student records

College officials may have access to student information, if their responsibilities reasonably require access to that information for educational, administrative, or research purposes in the performance of their job duties. College employees who have access to student education records are obligated to carefully protect them and will be held accountable for safeguarding them. Policy or procedure violations may result in disciplinary action, including possible termination of employment, and applicable civil and criminal sanctions.

Distributing grades

The posting of grades or examination results with personally-identifiable information (i.e., student ID number, Social Security Number, student name) is prohibited. Examinations, papers, blue books, or any other graded materials that contain personally-identifiable student information (i.e., name, student ID number) should be distributed directly to students or made available for pick up in departmental offices in a manner that ensures the privacy of each student’s grade.

Student right to review

Students are entitled by law to review portions of their records at the College and to request amendments of such records if the student believes they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy or other rights of the student.

Disclosure of student records, including disciplinary background checks. Personally-identifiable student information may only be released under the conditions outlined in the procedures or with the written permission of the student. When a student provides a valid authorization to release student records to a third party, all records that are legally covered by the authorization must be released as requested by the student. Units responding to external requests for information must ensure that the response includes all requested information that exists at the College.

Definitions

Directory Information

Student’s name, address, etc.

Legitimate Education Interest

An interest in student records for the purpose of performing stated job duties.

Student Applicant

A person who has applied for admission to the College.

Student Education Records

Any student record maintained by the College that contains personally identifiable information.

College Official

College officials are those members of the institution whose responsibilities reasonably require access to student records for educational, administrative, or research functions and may include faculty, administration, clerical and professional employees, and other persons who manage student record information.