Article 3: Student Records

I. Achieving educational goals, providing direction to students, and extending service to society demand that the University keep records. All policies and practices concerning records shall be based on respect for the privacy of the individual student as well as current federal and state law.

II. Because of respect for the privacy of the individual student, record keeping must be performed only by University personnel whose job responsibilities require record keeping.

III. All policies and practices governing access to, and maintenance and release of, student records shall conform to the University’s published guidelines.  (See the MSU Access to Student Information Guidelines.)

IV. No record shall be made, reproduced, or retained unless there is a demonstrable need for it that is reasonably related to the basic purposes and necessities of the University.

V. The University shall not make, reproduce, or retain records of a student’s religious or political beliefs or affiliations without the student’s knowledge and consent.

VI. Students shall have the right to inspect any of their own educational records, except as waived by the student (e.g., confidential letters of recommendation).  Student educational records include official transcripts, student disciplinary records, and records regarding academic performance.

VII. All policies and practices dealing with the acquisition and dissemination of information in student records shall be formulated with due regard for the student’s right to privacy and access.

VIII. All student educational records that are used or may be used to make determinations about a student’s employment, financial aid, or academic progress shall include a notation of the name of the person who supplied the information and the date of its entry, with the exception of central, Student Information System records.

IX. Confidential records shall be responsibly handled. Units shall train persons handling such records in appropriate methods of keeping and disposing of confidential records.

X. No one outside the faculty or administrative staff of Michigan State University, except as specified by law, may have access to the record of a student’s offenses against University regulations without the written permission of the student.

XI. All policies governing the maintenance and the selective release of records and of portions of records shall be made public in an appropriate manner and shall be subject to judicial review as provided in Article 5, Section II of this document.  These policies and practices shall conform to current federal and state law. In addition, any changes to the policies shall be made known to the student body through the appropriate student governance bodies.