Undergraduate Programs Administrative Services
and Policies
Student Records and
Transcripts
Academic Records
- Complete records and related documents are maintained in the Office
of the University Registrar, Decary Hall. Under the terms of the Buckley/Pell
Amendment to the Family Educational and Privacy Act (FERPA), students
have the right to review and inspect all official records, files,
and data, including all material that is incorporated into each student's
cumulative record folder. However, the Department of Health and Human
Services has said that clarifying amendments provide that letters
of recommendation submitted on the basis of a pledge of confidentiality
prior to January 1, 1975 need not be shown to students, and that a
student may be allowed but not required to waive his/her right of
access to letters of recommendation received after that date. Under
the terms of the Buckley/Pell Amendment, post-secondary institutions
must provide students not only access to official records directly
related to them, but also an opportunity for a hearing to challenge
such records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading,
or otherwise inappropriate. It is the right of students to file a
complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services concerning
an alleged failure by an educational agency or institution to comply
with section 438 of the Act that guarantees such rights. University
students wishing to review their records may do so by providing a
written request to the Office of the University Registrar at least
48 hours in advance of the desired appointment.
Student Conduct Records - Student conduct records and related
files are maintained by the Office of the Dean of Students in the
Student Affairs offices on each campus. Student conduct records/files
are maintained under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA).
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All student conduct and related files are
maintained by the Office of the Dean of Students for a period
of no less than four years after separation from the University.
Records may be destroyed at that time. Disciplinary records
may be retained for longer periods of time or permanently if
specified in the terms of disciplinary sanctions. |
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Disciplinary records may be voided by the
Dean of Students Office with the concurrence of an Appeals Committee
for good cause based upon written petition by student(s). |
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Denials of petitions to void disciplinary
records may be appealed to the vice president of academic affairs. |
Student Access and Annual Notification
FERPA (see
above) affords students certain rights with respect to their education
records. They are:
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The right to inspect and review the student's
education records within 45 days of the day the University receives
a request for access. The student should submit to the Office
of the Registrar (at the University Campus) or the Student Registration
and Financial Services Center (at the Westbrook College Campus)
a written request that identifies the records which they wish
to inspect. The office will notify the student of the time and
place where the records may be inspected. |
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The right to request the amendment of the
student's education records that the student believes are inaccurate
or misleading. Students may ask the University to amend a record
that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write
to the University Registrar, clearly identifying the part of
the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate
or misleading. If it is determined not to amend the record as
requested by the student, the University will notify the student
of the decision and advise the student of the right to a hearing
regarding the request for amendment. Additional information
regarding hearing procedures will accompany this notification. |
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The right to consent to disclosure of personally
identifiable information contained in the student's education
records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure
without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without
consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational
interests. A school official is a person employed by the University
in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or
support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel
and health staff); a person or company with whom the University
has contracted (such as attorney, auditor, or collection agent);
a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving
on an official committee, or assisting another school official
in performing his or her task; or the Veterans Administration
for students registered for various GI Bill programs. A school
official has a legitimate educational interest if the official
needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his
or her professional responsibility. |
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The right to file a complaint with the U.S.
Department of Education concerning alleged failure(s) by the
University of New England to comply with the requirements of
FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA
is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605 |
Directory Information and Disclosure
The University normally will not supply non-related
organizations with personally identifiable student information, including
directory information. One exception to this policy is the result
of a federal law known as the Solomon Amendment which requires the
University to release directory information to military recruiters
upon request. For this purpose, directory information is defined as:
name, address, email, telephone listing, date and place of birth,
level of education, academic major, degrees received, and educational
institution in which a student most recently was enrolled. Information
not required or permitted by the Solomon Amendment and not considered
directory information under FERPA will not be released without written
permission of the student.
Active students who wish to have directory information withheld from
release must do so in writing on a per-academic-year basis. Request
forms are available in the Office of the Registrar (University Campus),
Student Registration and Financial Services Center (Westbrook College
Campus) or Student Affairs Offices at either campus. Requests must
be submitted prior to September 30th (if first-time enrollment for
academic year is fall semester) or January 30th (if first-time enrollment
for academic year is spring semester) to affect a withhold status.
Please remember: active students must renew a request for non-disclosure
each year to keep such requests in effect. The University may disclose
directory information about former students without meeting notification
requirements; however, at the last opportunity as a student (just
prior to departure from the University), written requests for non-disclosure
will remain in effect until a written request to change non-disclosure
status is made by the student.
Response Time and End-of-Term Processing
Due to production demands in registration services
(both campuses), requests for student records services cannot be processed
on demand. Students are advised to plan on a three-to-five-day turn-around
on requests.
At the end of each fall and spring semester, registration offices
must process significant volumes of grades, completions, and verifications
after all final grades are submitted by instructors. This end-of-term
processing is not finished for a minimum of two weeks after the last
final exam.
For students graduating at the end of spring semester: degree verification,
posting, and diploma printing/mailing must be done after end-of-term
grades are processed. Diplomas are not normally mailed for a minimum
of four weeks after the last final exam. Students are advised to anticipate
waiting these periods of time, and should plan ahead when working
with employers, graduate schools, agencies, or licensing bureaus when
ordering transcripts, grade reports, or degree verifications.
Transcripts
No official transcript will be issued until
all financial obligations have been met.
Transcripts are issued only at the written and signed request of the
student. The purpose of this policy is to protect the privacy of the
individual concerned and to minimize the possibility of the use of
another's transcripts by an imposter. Students are advised to plan
on a three-to-five-day turn-around on requests.
Official transcripts are normally issued directly to other educational
institutions or prospective employers designated by the student. Official
transcripts issued to the student for purposes of transport to another
party can be provided in a sealed envelope but will be considered
unofficial if opened by the student. Unsealed transcripts issued directly
to students are considered unofficial and are stamped Issued to Student.
Links
Notice and Responsibilities Regarding
this Catalog
The University of New England reserves the
right in its sole judgment to make changes of any nature in its programs,
calendar, or academic schedule whenever it is deemed necessary or
desirable, including changes in course content, the rescheduling of
classes with or without extending the academic term, canceling of
scheduled classes or other academic activities, in any such case giving
such notice thereof as is reasonably practicable under the circumstances.
While each student may work closely with an academic advisor, he or
she must retain individual responsibility for meeting requirements
in this catalog and for being aware of any changes in provisions or
requirements.
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