Records Policy and Directory Information

The College makes available a statement informing students and parents of their rights under the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974” (the Buckley Amendment). The purpose of this act is to establish procedures which govern access to and release of student records kept by the College. Questions about the access to and release of student records should be directed to the Registrar and/or the Office of Student Affairs. Copies of the Buckley Amendment together with the College statement are made available in the offices of the Registrar and the Office of Student Affairs. Students have the right to file a complaint with the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare concerning failure of the College to comply with the Act.

Academic transcripts, grade reports, and other correspondence concerned with the student’s status at Saint Vincent are sent directly to the students. Therefore, the parts of the Catalog and/or the Student Handbook entitle “Academic Warning System,” “Academic Dismissal,” and “Corrective Action” should be carefully noted by the students as well as parents and other persons financially responsible for the education of students. Students and other interested parties outlined in the Act as entitled to access to the students’ records will be requested by the College to follow ordinary request procedures established by the offices involved. Access to or release of student records under circumstances other than those provided for in the Act will not be permitted by the College without a signed waiver of the student.

Because academic transcripts, grade reports, and other correspondence concerning a student’s status are forwarded directly to the student, it is strongly advised that parents or others financially responsible for the education of the student anticipate this arrangement by working out a satisfactory agreement between themselves and the student relative to records and correspondence from Saint Vincent College. A student’s record maintained in the Registrar’s Office will be kept intact for five (5) years after the student graduates, withdraws, or is dismissed. At the end of the five years, the files will be purged with the exception of the academic transcript.

According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a student has the right to refuse disclosure of personally identifiable information. That includes name; address (local, home, and e-mail); telephone number (local and home); place and date of birth; dates of attendance; major field of study and class level; degrees, honors, and awards; previous institutions attended; past and present participation in officially recognized activities and sports; and height and weight of athletic team members. To withhold disclosure of such information, written notification must be received in the Registrar’s Office. Students can update this information anytime.