A college student record follows the student for the term of his or her academic career. In some cases, it may also have an effect on the student’s career opportunities. As such, it is important for students to be aware of what is on their records.
A disciplinary hearing can definitely raise some concerns in regard to a student record. There are a few key things to understand.
School regulations
Different schools and universities have their own policies for how they handle student misconduct, as well as their own means for reporting it. Though a general student record may not include the details of a disciplinary hearing, it may denote that the institution imposed a disciplinary act against the student. Institutions should explain their means of recording and reporting information about students within their code of conduct. As such, it may be beneficial to review the document.
Federal law
Though schools may have their own protocols in place, they must still comply with federal law. Therefore, there are some restrictions to the information that they may release to outside parties. This is due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also known as FERPA. The act restricts institutions from releasing certain information and requires that institutions receive expressed consent before providing other information. However, in certain instances, such as a subpoena, the institution may have to release all information.
Transfers
Transfer documents usually require that the student and previous institution share if the student faced any disciplinary actions. Since the institution will usually just indicate yes or no, it is up to the student to provide full details of the incident and outcome.
Similar to a criminal record, it is important for students to be fully aware of what their student records show and to ensure that they are correct. Students may obtain copies of their records from their institution through the appropriate channels.