Student Files

No reprisal of any kind shall be taken against any participant involved in a grievance procedure.

Any Student

An individual may contact the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education for review of a complaint. The bureau may be contacted at: 2535 Capital Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833; Phone: 916.431.6924; FAX: 916.263.1897; website: http://www.bppe.ca.gov

Policy Revised 09/01/2020

Fielding Graduate University adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, concerning student access to files and the release of student information.

Students have the right to inspect and review their educational records. Educational records include any data or information about a student, regardless of the media used to create or maintain the record. Educational records include those records maintained by the institution but exclude records maintained by individuals and available only to those individuals or designated substitutes (e.g. "personal files"). Student educational records are located and maintained by administrators in one or more of the following offices:

Academic Record Files: The Office of the Registrar is responsible for maintaining files that contain official transcripts of work performed by Fielding students at other institutions, documentation supporting the official Fielding transcript entries, and copies of occasional correspondence written by faculty and administration along with student replies. Such correspondence is generally related to a student's academic program or progress in that program. Other records tracking dissertation progress are maintained in online systems. Members of the administration and faculty have access to these files as permitted by their student advisement roles. Records office staff have access to these files in order to maintain them and to provide data to authorized persons. After graduation or withdrawal, Fielding maintains only those student records necessary to verify the transcript.

Academic technology system files: In the learning management system (LMS), online courses and associated posted data (syllabi, discussions, and submitted papers) are maintained and accessible to participants for one year. Courses are archived after one year, but can be made accessible to former members with active accounts in the LMS by request. Recorded meetings in Zoom currently remain accessible unless the host themselves has deleted the cloud recording.

Admissions Files: The Admissions Office staff is responsible for maintaining files that contain letters of recommendation for admissions to the University, transcripts of work performed at other institutions, the student’s statement of purpose, application materials, admission agreements, and other materials as necessary for admission purposes. All materials submitted become the property of the University. The Admissions Office staff and members of the admissions committees of the various programs have access to these files for the purpose of carrying out the admissions function. After a student has been admitted to the University and actually matriculated for study at Fielding, the admission agreement, transcripts, and demographic and recruitment data from the admissions application are transferred to the Office of Records/Registrar and the remaining supplemental documents used for admission, including

letters of recommendation, are destroyed. The application materials, including letters of recommendation, transcripts, and other supplemental materials, of applicants who were not admitted or did not matriculate are destroyed one year after the application term.

Advising Files: The Advising Office maintains paper and electronic records of financial aid disqualification appeals and completed term reviews for students on approved financial aid probation. Paper files are destroyed for inactive/graduated students after 4 years.

Committee on Academic Integrity Files: The chair of the Committee on Academic Integrity (CAI) maintains files of alleged dishonesty/plagiarism cases that are adjudicated by the CAI.

Financial Aid Files: The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for maintaining files that contain applications and award letters for all forms of federal and institutional aid, correspondence with lenders, loan-tracking documents, scholarship applications and awards and information regarding awards from previous institutions. The staff of the Financial Aid Office have access to these files in order to process financial aid applications and advise students. Financial Aid files are destroyed four years after a student has been determined inactive.

F-1 Student Visa Files: The Office of the Registrar maintains separate paper files on students that have been recommended for F-1 visa status to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Supporting documentation for the original visa application is maintained, as well as copies of any official documents issued to the student to support their continued attendance under the F1 visa. Files are maintained for at least three years following the student's last date of attendance or the end of any period of post-completion optional practical training (OPT) before being destroyed.

Human Resources: The Office of Human Resources maintains files on legal complaints, which may involve student records. The Office of Human Resources is also responsible for maintaining files that contain personal information (Social Security number and date of birth) of individuals who are both employees and students (ex: Graduate Teaching Assistants and staff members who are enrolled at Fielding).

Institutional Review Board (IRB): The IRB Office maintains electronic files of applications and related documents necessary for research ethics review, study oversight, and compliance with federal regulations.

Provost Files: The Office of the Provost is responsible for maintaining files that contain background information and official documents about alleged student misconduct, disciplinary hearings, and student grievances arising to his/her level. Information about alleged student misconduct, disciplinary hearings, and student grievances is considered to be confidential and is divulged on a strict "need-to-know" basis. The provost and his/her administrative staff have access to the files for the purpose of conducting necessary investigations, administering disciplinary or grievance hearings and maintaining institutional records of such hearings. As each investigation is resolved, the file is transferred to the Registrar for permanent maintenance.

Research Data: The staff of the Office of Institutional Research are responsible for administering Qualtrics accounts to students, faculty, and staff. Survey data collected using Qualtrics may include dissertation research and student information needed for accreditation, educational effectiveness, and planning purposes. The Office of Institutional Research deletes

the Qualtrics accounts for students who have been determined as inactive for 6 months (graduated or withdrew from university).

Student Accounts Files: The Office of Student Accounts is responsible for maintaining files that contain payment agreements, student and third party payments, authorization to charge or reverse charges, correspondence with the student and with third party sponsors, collections information and bankruptcy documentation. Student Accounts staff as well as authorized members of the University's administration have access to these files in order to justify all data activity and remain complaint with auditors as well as to advise students. Relevant documents are kept for seven years and destroyed on a rolling basis.

Students with Disabilities Files: The Director of Advising maintains files on students who have registered their disabilities with him/her and/or requested accommodations under our policy. Advising office staff have access to those files as necessary to implement approved accommodation requests.

Veteran's Benefit Recipient Files: The Office of the Registrar maintains separate paper files on veteran's benefit recipients regarding their approval to receive benefits and all certifications performed on their behalf, including records documenting academic progress, program pursuit and tuition/fees as required by law. Files are maintained for at least three years following the student's last date of attendance before being destroyed.

In addition to the persons named above, the administrators of the University - the President, Provost, Vice Presidents or Associate Provosts, and Department Chairs have access to all records directly related to Fielding students. The Program Directors have access to all records directly related to students enrolled in their school's programs. Fielding Graduate University faculty and staff, including school attorneys, may access student records in which they have a legitimate education interest, as determined by the keeper of that record in consultation with the Registrar as necessary. Students and former students should contact the Office of Records if they wish to review any of their personal files.

Students will be provided access to their educational record file whenever requested within 45 days. Fielding Graduate University reserves the right to deny copies of transcripts or copies of records not required to be made available under FERPA in any of the following situations:

• The student has an unpaid financial obligation to Fielding Graduate University; • The student is in default in the repayment of a loan obtained while in attendance under

Fielding; • There is an unresolved disciplinary action against the student.

In addition, Fielding Graduate University is not required under FERPA to permit students to inspect and review the following:

• confidential letters and recommendations placed in their files prior to January 1, 1975; • confidential letters and recommendations placed in their files after January 1, 1975, to which the student has waived his or her rights to inspect and review and that are related to the student's admission, application for employment or job placement, or receipt of honors; • education records containing information about more than one student; however, we may permit access to that part of the record which pertains only to the inquiring student.