Student academic (and related) records are kept in the Registrar's Office at the University Campus and at the Student Registration and Financial Services Office at the Westbrook College Campus.
Under the terms of the Buckley/Pell amendment to the Family Educational Rights 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, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare 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. The amendments also provide that a financial statement submitted by a parent need not be shown to the student.
Release of records is allowed only upon written student approval, with noted exceptions listed below.
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 and related files are maintained by 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).
| 1. | 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. | |
| 2. | 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). | |
| 3. | Denials of petitions to void disciplinary records may be appealed to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. |
FERPA (see above) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:
| 1. | 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. | |
| 2. | 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. | |
| 3. | 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. | |
| 4. | 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 US Department of Education 600 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-4605 |
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, 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 nondisclosure will remain in effect until a written request to change non-disclosure status is made by the student.
Due to production demands in registration services offices (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 for their requests.
During the week of final exams for the regular fall and spring terms, grades will be processed and posted at the close of day allowing students to view updated grade reports by 4 p.m. each day. Instructors are given 48 hours after final exams to submit their grades. Once all grades are received, the Registrar's Office will conduct a final end-of-term processing that includes posting Dean's List Honors and updating your academic standing. Students will be notified when end of term processing has been completed, usually two weeks after final exams.
For students who graduate spring semester: degree verification, posting, and diploma 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.