REQUESTING A REVIEW OR AMENDMENT OF EDUCATION RECORDS

Related Policy – Managing Student Records

About This Procedure

University Procedure

Requesting a Review of Education Records
To gain access to an education record, the student must file a request with the record Office of the Registrar. The university will make the records available to the requesting student within 45 days following the receipt of the request. The university will respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the record and must provide copies at a reasonable fee if requested. The university does not routinely provide copies. However, if copies are provided, the fee will be 10 cents per page, plus mailing costs. An official copy of the student’s academic record will be prepared at the cost of the transcript fee for that academic year.

Requesting an Amendment to Education Records
If a student believes that any of the education records relating to her or him contain information that is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of her or his rights of privacy, the student may ask the university to amend such information. The student may also ask that additional explanatory material to be inserted in the record by the custodian.

• The student submits the request to amend their record in writing. The request must include be signed and dated by the student and must include sufficient information to identify the challenged record and a statement of the reason that amendment should be made.
• The data custodian will review the request and either approve the request or deny the quest.

If the custodian decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading, incomplete, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy or other personal rights, they will amend the record accordingly and inform the student in writing.

If the custodian denies the request to amend the record, they must inform the student in writing, indicating the reason for refusal. The custodian must also advise the student of their right to a hearing to challenge the content of the record and their right to insert a statement in the record setting forth their views.

Appealing the Decision to Amend Education Records
If the custodian refuses to amend the education record in accordance with the request or fails to act on the written request, the student may request a hearing to review the request.

The request for hearing must be in writing and signed and dated by the student. Copies should be directed to the provost. The request must include the name of the custodian to whom the petition for amendment was directed and sufficient information to identify the challenged record. If possible, the student should include copies of the request for amendment and the custodian’s written decision.

Upon receipt of a request for hearing, the provost, or their designee, will designate an impartial person to serve as hearing officer. The hearing officer will schedule and conduct the hearing in the following manner:

• The hearing will be scheduled within a reasonable period from the date the provost or the designee, receives the written request for hearing. (The recommended time is within two weeks.)
• The student will be given written notice of the date, place, and time at least five days before the hearing.
• The student may present evidence at the hearing relevant to the issues raised and may be assisted or represented at the hearing by one or more persons of the student’s choice, including attorneys, at the student’s expense.
• The custodian will be afforded a full and fair opportunity to present oral and written evidence relevant to the issues raised in the request for amendment.
• The decision will be issued to the provost or the designee in writing within a reasonable period after conclusion of the hearing. (The recommended time is within one week.)

The decision will be final and will be based solely upon the evidence presented at the hearing and will include a written summary of the evidence and the reasons for the decision.

If the hearing officer decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading, incomplete, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy or other personal rights, the provost or the designee will direct the custodian to amend the record and to notify past recipients of the disputed data, including recipients named by the student.

The provost or the designee will also immediately notify the student, in writing, of the outcome of the hearing. A copy of the decision will be enclosed, and, if the decision is adverse to the student, inform the student of the right to place in the educational record a statement commenting on the information in the record, and setting forth disagreement with the hearing officer’s decision.