Confidentiality of Student Records
The College of Saint Rose wishes to encourage trust and confidence among students, faculty, staff, and administration and, in particular, to affirm the right of privacy of each member of the College community.
Only those within the College who have a legitimate educational interest may have access to student records. Persons outside the College do not have access to the records of individuals unless the student gives written permission for the release of specific records or unless the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of other persons.
Such “directory information” as name, address, major field of study, email address, photographic image, enrollment status, dates of attendance, participation in officially recognized activities, degrees and awards received, and the most recent educational institution attended by the student will be released by the College when such release is appropriate unless a student specifically requests that this information not be released.
In accordance with this policy, present and former students at The College of Saint Rose have access to their own records at the following locations:
- Records of academic progress – Office of the Registrar
- Health records – Health Services
- Placement records (the provisions of law protect the confidentiality of letters of recommendation filed prior to January 1, 1975, as well as letters for which students have formally waived their rights to access) - Office of Career Services
- Financial Aid information (excluding the Parent’s Confidential Statement if the parents specify that the student may not have access to the statement) – Office of Financial Aid
- Records of charges and payments – Bursar’s Office
- Alumni records – Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
- Higher Education Opportunity Program testing records – Office of HEOP
The complete Notice of Student Rights with Respect to Education Records is available in the Registrar and Student Affairs offices, as well as on the College’s website.
If students wish to challenge any part of their record, they may do so informally by contacting the Vice President for Student Affairs. A formal hearing process is available as set forth in the Annual Notice to cover instances when the informal procedures are not satisfactory. The hearing will be conducted by a College official that does not have an interest in the outcome.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) generally prohibits the disclosure of information about students and the inspection of student records without their permission to do so. “Directory information,” as defined by the institution, may be disclosed as long as notification to do so has been made available to students, and students are given the opportunity to request nondisclosure.
School deans, department chairs, and advisors often do have a “legitimate educational interest” in the examination of student records, which authorizes sharing of such information among faculty and staff when the information is reasonably necessary in order to fulfill the faculty member’s professional or assigned responsibilities.