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Student Records
University of North America maintains
various records concerning students, to document their academic progress as well
as to record their interactions with university staff and officials. In order
that their right to privacy be preserved and to conform to federal law, the
university has established certain policies to govern the handling of student
records. All policies conform to FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (also known as the Buckley Amendment).
Public Information
Certain information concerning students
is considered to be open to the public upon inquiry. This public information is
of two types: directory information and other information not included in the
UNA Directory. Directory information includes local address, telephone number,
campus e-mail address, home town, college, curriculum, year in school, and
enrollment status. Other public information includes mailing address, date and
place of birth, dates of attendance at UNA, expected date of graduation, names
of advisers, awards and academic honors, UNA degree(s) and date(s) awarded,
previous educational institutions at tended, degrees received, dates of
attendance, full- or part-time status, participation in officially recognized
activities.
Public information will be
released by the registrar to anyone upon inquiry, unless students have requested
that their information not be released.
A request to have public information withheld should be made at the
Office of the Registrar. If the
request is granted, the registrar will notify the appropriate university
offices.
It is the policy of the university to
respect the privacy of students; therefore, only lists and labels containing
names of students with directory information will be made available to members
of the public. This directory information will be provided on a time-available
basis for the cost of producing the information..
Confidential Information
With the exception of the information
noted above, all student records are considered to be confidential and are open
only to university personnel; to offices and agencies carrying out their
accreditation and audit functions of university programs; to persons in
compliance with a judicial order; to organizations conducting studies for or on
behalf of educational institutions or agencies for the purpose of developing,
validating, or administering predictive tests, administering student aid
programs, and improving instruction; and to persons in an emergency in order to
protect the health or safety of students or other persons.
The following policies govern access to
student records:
Each type of student record is the
responsibility of a designated university official, and only that person or the
dean or director to whom that person reports has authority to release the
record. The following is a list of the responsible officials:
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Academic records: registrar
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Admissions records: director of admissions
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Financial aid records: director of student financial aid
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Business records: university controller
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Medical records: director, Student Health
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Counseling records and test scores: director, Student Counseling Service
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Actions of Academic Standards Committees: college deans
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Disciplinary records: dean of students
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Residence records: director of residence
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Work placement records: director of Co-op services
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Evaluations for admission to graduate or professional programs: deans or
department chairs
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Special academic programs: faculty member in charge of the program and the
dean of the college.
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The responsible official may release
records to university personnel who have a legitimate need for the
information. “University personnel” may include students appointed to
specified committees and/or work/study programs.
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All student records are reviewed
periodically
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Students have the right to review upon
request any records that pertain directly to them, and may obtain a copy of
the record for a fee of
20₵ per page (fee subject to change). This provision does not apply to
records to which the student has waived his or her right to review, nor does
it apply to medical and counseling records.
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Records obtained by the university for
the purpose of admission to UNA, from other institutions or persons, i.e.
transcripts, letters of recommendation, will not be released to students.
Once these documents are received, they become the sole property of
the university.
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A student may waive the right to review
a specific record by submitting in writing a statement to this effect to the
official responsible for that record.
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A file containing copies of records
pertinent to advising is maintained on each student for use by the student’s
adviser. Ordinarily this file is kept in the possession of the adviser, but
for convenience it may be stored elsewhere such as in the department office.
When the student changes majors, or changes advisers within the same major,
the file is transferred to the new adviser. Under the university’s student
records policy, the student is considered to have the right of access to
this file.
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Medical and counseling records shall be
released at the written request of the student to medical or psychological
professionals outside the university or to university officials.
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University personnel who have access to
student records in the course of carrying out their university
responsibilities shall not be permitted to release the record to persons
outside the university, unless authorized in writing by the student or
unless one of the exceptions stated earlier is involved.
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Confidential information may be
released to parents by obtaining the student’s written consent or by having
the parent establish the student’s dependency as defined by the Internal
Revenue Code of 1954, section 152, by furnishing a certified copy of the
parent’s most recent federal income tax return.
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The officials responsible for custody
of student records will maintain records of requests and disclosures of
personally identifiable nonpublic information. The records of requests,
whether granted or not, shall include the person or agency requesting the
information and the purpose of the release. These records of requests and
disclosures will be available to the student on request. Records of requests
and disclosures are not necessary for requests made by the student, by
school officials in carrying out their official responsibilities, by persons
employed by agencies and offices conducting audits and accreditations of
university programs, or any of the other exceptions listed previously.
Posting Grades and Test Scores
The test scores or course grades of
students may be posted in public locations to inform students of their
performance provided that the information is presented in such a way as not to
reveal the name or entire ID number of specific individuals.
Final grades will be posted on the official transcript by the Office of
the Registrar upon receipt from the instructor.
Release of Grades
Official Transcripts will be mailed to
individual students at least two weeks after the end of the semester.
Therefore, it is imperative that students keep their mailing address
current with the Registrar’s Office.
Outside requests for Transcripts will only be released with written consent
from the student, as stated in #10.
Reports of a student’s grades are not routinely sent to the student’s
parents. Parents of students under 18 years of age may obtain grades by writing
to the Office of the Registrar. The grades of other students will be sent to
their parents only with written permission of the student, or by establishing
dependency as outlined in item 10 under Confidential Information.
When Records May Be Withheld
The appropriate university official may
request that a student’s record not be released if that student is delinquent in
an account with the university or an affiliated organization. The effect of this
action is that a transcript will not be released and registration will be
withheld.
The appropriate official may also
request that records be withheld in instances when official disciplinary action
has been taken against a student. In order for such an action to be rescinded,
the Office of the Registrar must receive written authorization from the official
who originally requested the action, indicating that the student has met the
obligation.
Review and Challenge of Records
A student may challenge the accuracy of
handling of records maintained by the university on grounds that the records are
inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise violate the privacy or other rights of the
student. The university has established the following procedures to provide an
opportunity for the student to correct or delete inaccurate records, or to
insert into the record a written explanation of the content.
Students who question their records should discuss the issue first with
the individual staff person who established or maintains the records. Presumably
most issues can be resolved at this level. If a satisfactory resolution cannot
be reached, the student should submit the question to the head of the department
in which the record is maintained.
The department head will discuss the
issue with the staff person and the student challenging the record. If
resolution cannot be reached after meeting with the department head, the student
may submit the question to the dean or director to whom the department head is
responsible. The dean or director will investigate, and will respond in writing.
If the record has not been reconciled
through these measures, the student may direct a written request to the
president of the university. The president will convene an Ad Hoc Hearing Panel
of Access and Confidentiality of Educational Records, composed of two faculty
members, two students, and one administrator, appointed by the president for a
period of one year, with the president or a designee serving as nonvoting
chairperson. The student shall be given an opportunity to present to the panel
evidence relevant to the issues raised, and the panel will issue a written
response.
ID Card and Identification Number
Each student is assigned a random
university identification number on entry to the university. This number appears
on the ID card that is provided to each student at the time of first
registration. The ID card, may be required for some services and/or activities.
At the time the Identification number will also be required for electronic
access to personal student information.
Loss of an ID card should be reported
immediately to the ID Card Office, where the lost card will be invalidated and
replaced for a charge. Disciplinary sanctions may be imposed for improper use of
the ID card or attempts to obtain, by fraudulent means, any form of
identification.
Social Security Number
Social security numbers are collected
from prospective and current students, for administrative coordination and
record identification purposes only. Although procedures have been established
by the registrar for assignment of an alternative number upon request, students
who wish to be employed on campus or to receive financial aid are required by
law to provide their social security numbers for administrative use. The social
security number is a confidential record and is maintained as such by the
university in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
Policy on Student Names
UNA has a common policy regarding student names and name changes. The name on
the student record should be the student’s complete and legal name. In
evaluating and processing all name change requests, the university reserves the
right to require adequate and appropriate documentation as warranted.
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