RELEASE AND DISCLOSURE OF STUDENT RECORDS

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The Berkeley Campus Policy Governing Disclosures of Information from Student Records, issued by the Office of the Chancellor, is available on-line at http://uga.berkeley.edu/uga/disclosure.stm. The Dean of the School of Social Welfare is responsible for maintaining MSW student records. He is assisted by staff members who have need to access the records in the course of performing their duties.

The following types of information are considered matters of public record. This information is released, provided it is available, when it is requested in writing. The information is not released if the student requests in writing that it not be disclosed as a matter of public record.

• Name of student
• Dates of attendance
• Major field of study
• Degrees granted at Berkeley and date
• Name of the most recently attended institution, prior to Berkeley

In the course of completing the MSW degree, it should be noted, it is necessary for school field work staff to share public information about students with potential and assigned field placement agencies.

Student addresses (campus and/or permanent) and telephone numbers are available (at the student's option) by calling 642-3361.

Confidential Records

All other records, such as general correspondence, Admission application, Education Test Scores, are confidential.

The following persons have access to these records: The Office of the President of the University, the Ombudsperson, and the academic and non-academic staff of the school. Other campus personnel are granted access when it is necessary for the normal performance of their assigned duties. Field placement agencies may obtain information necessary to the assignment and supervision of students in field work placements. The procedures by which students and persons or organizations outside the campus may gain access are described below.

Complete records of degree recipients, as well as those of inactive students who have not finished their degrees, are kept for 5 years after the last semester of registration.

Procedures for Access to Confidential Records

By the Student. Students have the right to inspect their own confidential records provided they present adequate identification. Letters of recommendation and statements of evaluation dated before January 1, 1975 are not disclosed since these are not covered by Congressional legislation.

Access to a student's record must be granted within 5 working days after the request. Copies of records that can be released will be made for 5 cents a copy.

By a Third Party. Disclosure to a third party can be made only with the written consent of the student, naming the third party, the records to be released, and the reasons for the disclosure. There are certain exceptions under which information about confidential records is released by the school without the written consent of the student, for example by judicial order, to accrediting organizations, for research purposes, because of health and safety emergencies, and under certain conditions connected with financial aid.

Challenge of Records and Hearing. The staff of the school will interpret and explain the information in a student's record at the student's request. If a student believes that his or her records include data which are inaccurate, misleading, inappropriate, or otherwise in violation of the student's rights of privacy, an appointment should be made with the Associate Dean to request that the records be amended.

If the student is not satisfied with the result of the appointment, he or she may appeal to the Dean of the School. If the student is still not satisfied, there will be a hearing, presided over by a campus official or other party who does not have direct interest in the outcome of the hearing. The hearing will be within a reasonable length of time and will provide an opportunity for the correction or deletion of any inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate data and for the inclusion in the student's records of a written explanation. NOTE: Grading and other evaluations of students' work by course instructors do not fall within the scope of such a hearing. For information on grade appeals, see the Grades and Grade Appeals section of this handbook.

While complaints and questions which have to do with student records should first be directed to the Graduate Adviser/Dean of the School, they may also be submitted to the Dean of Student Life, 221 Sproul Hall. Complaints regarding violations of the rights accorded students by the 1974 Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may also be filed with the Students' and Family Rights and Privacy Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland, S.W., Room 3021, Washington, D.C. 20202.