Advising Help Desk – Confidentiality & Records
Student Records
How long do I need to keep student files in my department? Should I keep a copy of every petition I sign?
Years after leaving the university, some students return to their academic departments seeking records of their attendance or performance.
While there appears to be no official campus policy about this, staff may wish to read the UCOP Records Disposition Program and Procedures guidelines.
In the L&S Advising Office, paper files are kept for five years after a student graduates, and electronic files are kept forever (e-files began in Fall 2001). For inactive students who have not yet graduated, written notes and a copy of the student's transfer evaluation are kept. Everything else is destroyed.
Encourage students to keep copies of all forms, petitions, and documents they submit.
Student Records
What kind of grade records should departments keep? For how long?
Since students have two semesters after the completion of a course to file a grade grievance, it would be wise to save grade records for the same 13 month period as required for final exams.
Please see the General Catalog for the policy regarding record keeping.
Confidentiality
Can I get a list of the email addresses for the students in a particular class?
Yes. The E-grades system contains a function allowing users to export email addresses into an Excel document.
The "Student Reports" section in Bear Facts also contains an email list function.
Confidentiality
Can professors post a list of student ID numbers and grades or leave students' midterms in a bin outside their office doors?
No to both questions.
According to UCOP's Policies Applying to the Disclosure of Information from Student Records, except for the disclosure of directory information under conditions specified in Section 130.70, personally identifiable information from student records may not be disclosed without the prior written consent of the student, other than to certain University officials.
According to the Berkeley Campus Policy Governing Disclosure of Information From Student Records, only the following public information may be attained without prior authorization:
- Student's name
- Address (local/permanent/email)
- Telephone numbers
- Major field of study
- Dates of attendance
- Number of course units in which enrolled
- Degrees and honors received
- Participation in officially recognized activities
- Name, weight, and height of participants on intercollegiate athletic teams
Without the student's written permission, all additional student information is confidential.
Confidentiality
In an emergency situation, can I give a student's class schedule to his/her parent?
No. Refer parents to the UC Police Department, (510) 642-6760.
At the discretion of the police and the Office of the Registrar, disclosure of a limited amount of information may be made to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency when the information is necessary to protect the health and safety of the student or other persons.
Confidentiality
Is it ok to send students their grades by email?
If the student submits a request for their grade by email, the Registrar recommends that you not provide the grade electronically, since it can be difficult to know for sure that the email really came from the student.
If a student whom you can positively identify has submitted a written request (signed and dated) to you in person, authorizing you to send the class grade electronically, you may do so. Inform the student that you will use the official email address the university has on record, which you can get from Bear Facts.
The best and easiest way to handle this is to refer students to Bear Facts. E-grades uploads grades to Bear Facts 24 hours after they are submitted.
Confidentiality
May I give inquiring parents information about their child's courses, grades, GPA, and current academic status?
Under federal law (the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) you are not permitted to disclose this confidential information without written permission from the student.
The student must provide a signed letter to the campus office which maintains the sought-after record, expressly permitting the parent's review of the student's record and specifying the length of time for which access is granted.
Confidentiality
What student information am I allowed to access and give to faculty?
Staff and faculty have access to public information that the student has not restricted, and to confidential information for which the student has provided an appropriate written authorization.
Staff and faculty may also access student information if they have a Legitimate Educational Interest.
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