Student Records

The college maintains students’ permanent records and has a policy and procedure in place which students must follow to access their current record or obtain a transcript (official or unofficial). All student records relating to assessment, admissions, financial records, and enrollment are secured in fireproof cabinets in the Admissions Office. Access to student records is restricted to authorized personnel. Students who wish to see their records may do so by the Administrative Office personnel.

By the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-380, Section 513, amending the General Education Provisions Act, Section 438) (FERPA), students have the right to their official record as follows:

Inspect and review the education records;
Request the amendment of the student’s education records to ensure that they are not misleading, inaccurate, or otherwise in violation of privacy or other rights;
Contest the disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the education records, except to the extent that the Act and the regulation authorized disclosure without consent;
File with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the requirements of the Act and the regulations

Current students and former students who have met their financial obligations to the college may submit written requests for their academic transcripts or financial records.

These must include the student’s social security number, date of graduation or last date attended and $10.00 payment for a transcript request. There is no payment required for financial records. A student has the right and shall be accorded the opportunity to inspect, review, and/or receive copies of his or her educational records upon written request to the appropriate record custodian, except as provided below. SMCAH must comply with the student’s request within a reasonable period, not to exceed 15 days after the request is received. Such copies will be provided at the student’s request and expense.
A student who is financially indebted to the College will not be allowed to receive a copy of his or her academic transcript, nor will a request to transmit the academic transcript to another person or agency be honored as long as the debt remains. However, the student will be permitted to review the academic transcript by the provisions of this policy.
SMCAH will not release any personally identifiable information about any students without their permission, except to certain college and governmental officials as provided by law.
Student records are maintained for five years after graduation or date of last attendance.
Complete Exit Interview via studentloan.gov, if the student received Financial Aid.

FERPA includes the following as regards to directory information: name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, date of enrollment, program enrolled, classification, major, degree earned, awards, participation in officially recognized activities, and most recent previous educational agency or institution attended.

In compliance with this Act, it is not assumed that all students are independent. Parents of dependent students must prove such dependence through the presentation of the most recent 1040 form filed with the IRS before they will be granted access to any student record of their dependent.

Should the student require records to be released outside the College, a release of information form must be completed before the information being released for any purpose.