Student Records-Confidentiality & Release
College of The Albemarle recognizes the importance of exercising responsibility in the maintenance and security of all student records. In order to meet that responsibility and the requirements of the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FRAPA), as enacted by Congress, the college makes the following information known:

I.  Types of informational records and information which directly relate to students and which are maintained by the college:

          A.  Permanent Student Files: transcripts of work at other educational institutions, health forms or 
               records, recommendation letters, placement test profiles, application and residency forms; and

          B.  Transcripts: academic record of all courses taken while enrolled at the college.

II.   The official responsible for maintaining each type of record, the persons who have access to those records, and the purpose for which they have access:

          A.  The Registrar: responsible for maintaining student files and transcripts; 

          B.  The regular staff in the Student Development Office: access to the files for maintenance 
                purposes;

          C.  The counselors and faculty advisors: access to the files for use in academic advisement;

          D.  Members of the Academic Appeals Committee: access when a case comes before the 
               committee; and

          E.  Other authorized college committees: access whenever the nature of their responsibility 
               requires access to student records (e.g., determining awards at graduation, etc.).

III.   The policy of the college for reviewing, maintaining, and expunging records:

          A.  Allows the institution to destroy all student records except the official transcript five years after 
               the student leaves the college.

          B.  Acknowledges that parents and legal guardians of independent students 18 years of age or 
               older do not have a right to view student records, grades, tests scores, etc., unless written 
               consent from the student is received. Parents of dependent students as defined in section 152 
               of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 may review student records without the written consent of 
               the student.

         C.   Requests for student transcripts will not be honored as long as the student has any outstanding 
               debt to the college.

         D.  Official transcripts and replacement files will be forwarded only at the written request of the 
              student and with the payment of $5.00 for each transcript.

         E.  Written permission from the student is required before grades or records of students are 
              released to faculty or to any agency, except as outlined previously in Section II. (Forms are 
              available in the Registrar’s office for this purpose.)

         F.  Permits instructors to post final exam and end-of-course grades, provided numerical codes are 
              used, unless the student notifies each instructor five days before the end of the semester that he 
              or she does not wish the grades to be posted.

IV.   The procedures established by the college providing access to student records:

         A.  Upon receipt of a written request from the student, the Registrar within 30 days is responsible for 
               the following:

               1.  Allowing the student to inspect and review the permanent file and transcript;

               2.  Providing the student with copies of the material at a cost of .50¢ per page;

               3.  Interpreting the records to the student; and

               4.  Allowing the student to challenge, in writing, the content of the files.  (Upon receipt of the 
                    challenge, the Registrar shall conduct a hearing at which time any materials found to be 
                    inappropriate or misleading will be corrected.  The student shall also have the opportunity to 
                    insert into his/her file any written explanations he or she deems appropriate).

         B.  College of The Albemarle considers the following “directory information” and will release such 
               information unless the student notifies the Registrar in writing.

               a.  Name, address, and phone number
               b.  Date and place of birth
               c.  Program of study
               d.  Participation in officially recognized activities
               e.  Dates of attendance
               f.  Degrees and awards received
               g.  The most recent previous educational agency or institution attended by the student
               h.  Graduation honors

A student may make a written request to the Registrar to have his/her record closed.  Students who do not wish to have any or all “directory information” made public without their consent must give to the Registrar each semester a signed and dated notice specifying the information not to be released.