Student RecordsUniversity policyKansas State University maintains various student records, to document academic progress as well as to record interactions with university staff and officials. To protect the student's rights to privacy, and to conform with federal law, the university has an established policy for handling student records. Interpretation of this policy is based on experience with educational records, and the policy itself may subsequently be modified in light of this experience. Notice of this policy and of students' rights under the federal law is given annually. Copies of this policy are available at the Registrar's Office, 118 Anderson Hall, and are published in the Undergraduate Catalog and in the Course Schedule.
Directory information
Directory information as defined above will be released upon inquiry, unless the student has requested that this information not be released. The student's request to have directory information withheld must be submitted each semester of enrollment and should be made at the Registrar's Office (118 Anderson Hall) in Manhattan or College Advancement (208 College Center) in Salina, which will notify other appropriate university offices.
Confidential information
1. Each type of student record is the responsibility of a designated university official, and only that person or the dean, director, or vice-president to whom that person reports has authority to release the record. The responsible officials are:
a. Academic records: For undergraduates, the registrar, Anderson Hall; for graduate students, the Graduate School office, Fairchild Hall.
b. Admissions records: For undergraduates, the director of admissions and student financial assistance, Anderson Hall; for graduate students, the Graduate School office, Fairchild Hall.
c. Financial aid records: director of admissions and student financial assistance, Fairchild Hall.
d. Business records: Controller's Office, Anderson Hall.
e. Traffic and security records: head of KSU Police Department, Edwards Hall.
f. Medical records: director, Lafene Health Center.
g. Counseling records: director, Counseling Services, Lafene.
h. Actions of academic standards committees: college dean.
i. Academic disciplinary records: chair, undergraduate grievance committee.
j. Non-academic disciplinary records: dean of student life, Holton Hall.
k. Housing records: director of Housing and Housing Services, Pittman Building.
l. Placement records: director of Career and Employment Services, Holtz Hall.
m. Evaluations for admission to graduate or professional programs: dean (of the graduate school or the appropriate college) or department head.
n. Special academic programs: Faculty member in charge of the program and dean of the college
o. Foreign student records: Foreign student advisor, International Student Center.
p. Test scores for College Level Examination Program (CLEP), American College Testing Program (ACT), Miller Analogies Test MAT), etc.: director of academic assistance center, Holton Hall.
2. Confidential educational records and personally identifiable information from those records will not be released without the written consent of the student involved, except to other university personnel, or in connection with the student's application for financial aid; or by submitting proof of dependency; or in response to a judicial order or subpoena; or in a bona fide health or safety emergency; or, upon request, to other schools in which the student seeks or intends to enroll; or to the U.S. comptroller general, the secretary of H.E.W., the U.S. commissioner of education, the director of the National Institute of Education, the assistant secretary for education, state educational authorities, or state and local officials where required by state statute adopted before November 19, 1974.
3. The responsible official may release records to university officials who have a legitimate need for the information in order to carry out their responsibilities.
4. All student records are reviewed periodically. Information concerning the frequency of review and expurgation of specific records is available in the Registrar's Office.
5. With certain exceptions, students may review records which pertain directly to them upon request and may obtain a copy of the record at cost, according to the following schedule.
a. Transcript of academic record: $8 per copy.
b. Medical records (Lafene Health Center): no charge to patient for medical purposes. A charge of $10 or $25 to outside parties with patient release.
c. Other records: at cost.
The major exceptions to student review are medical and counseling records. These may be released, however to other medical or psychological professionals at the written request of the student and may be inspected by the patient at the discretion of the professional staff. Other exceptions are law enforcement records, private notes of staff members, and financial records of parents.
6. 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. Examples are recommendations for career placement or admission to graduate study.
7. University personnel who have access to student educational 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 as required by a court order. Only the official responsible for the records has the authority to release them.
8. All personal educational information about a student released to a third party will be transferred on condition that no one else shall have access to it except with the student's consent. A record is maintained showing who has had access to student records, and this record is open to inspection by the student.
When records may be withheld
In order for the action to be rescinded, the Registrar's Office must receive authorization from the official who originally requested the action, indicating that the student has met the obligation.
To contest the withholding of a record, a student must attempt to settle the dispute with the official who requested that the record be withheld. If this attempt to resolve the dispute is unsuccessful, the matter may be resolved in accordance with the process described in the following section. Further information concerning this policy can be obtained from the Registrar's Office, 118 Anderson Hall, 785-532-6254.
Review and challenge of records
If the student believes that a particular record or file contains inaccurate or misleading information or is otherwise inappropriate, the university will afford an opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the record. Prior to any formal hearing, the official in charge of the record is authorized to attempt, through informal meetings and discussions with the student, to settle the dispute.
If this is unsuccessful, the matter will be referred to the appropriate vice-president. If the student is still dissatisfied, a hearing may be requested. The hearing, conducted by a hearing officer appointed by the president, will be held within two weeks. The student will have the opportunity at the hearing to present any relevant evidence, and a decision will be rendered within two weeks after the hearing. If the result does not satisfy the student, he or she may place a statement in the file.
Complaints
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