LaGrange College values individuals’ privacy and actively seeks to preserve the privacy rights of those who share information with us. Your trust is important to us and we believe you have the right to know how information submitted to the College is handled.

LaGrange College does not use Social Security Numbers as a primary way to identify constituents.

Instead, a unique identifier called the L# will be assigned to all LaGrange College constituents. The L# will be used across all applications, and many business processes throughout the life-time of an individual’s association with the College. This step is critical in the continuing efforts to reduce the risk of identity theft for the campus community.

The full policy concerning the use of Social Security Numbers at LaGrange College can be found in the policies section of the Instructional and Information Technology (IT) website linked from the PantherNet homepage.

LaGrange College is dedicated to preventing unauthorized data access, maintaining data accuracy, and ensuring the appropriate use of information. We strive to put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial safeguards to secure the information we collect.

In general, all present and past students have the right to personally review their own educational records for information and to determine the accuracy of these records. It is the policy of the College that information contained in official student records will not be released to the parent or guardian without the consent of the student unless the student is a dependent of the parent or guardian as defined under section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the student authorizes the release to the parent or guardian. A photo ID or other equivalent documentation, or personal recognition by the custodian of record will be required before access is gained.

LaGrange College assures the confidentiality of student educational records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

 

Exception to Access Rights

Students do not have access to:

  1. personal notes of administrative, faculty, or supervisory personnel which are not accessible to or revealed to other parties;

  2. financial information of parents;

  3. confidential letter of recommendation placed in files before January 1, 1975, or those where student has waived right to access, or

  4. medical, psychiatric, or psychological data recorded by professionals or paraprofessionals solely for their own use in treatment of the student: however, a physician or other appropriate professional of the student’s choice can review such records.

 

Student Consent Prior to Records Release

Student educational record information will not be transmitted to third parties outside the College without the student’s written consent, with the following exceptions:

  1. Public Information: Student’s name, address, telephone listing, academic major, dates of attendance, awards received, participation in officially recognized activities, and sports, weight, and heights of athletic team members. This information will be released to anyone requesting it. Information which can be released to the public on any student is name, class, major, date of attendance; degree earned; awards received; local and permanent address, and telephone number. The above-cited information will not be released if a student notifies the Registrar’s Office not to release information.

  2. To parents if the student is financially dependent upon the parent (IRS code definition). The burden of identifying such dependency rests with the student or parent.

  3. Information concerning application for or receipt of financial aid, which may be released to official agencies involved in decisions on aid allocations.

  4. Information released to College officials with a legitimate educational interest.

  5. Information required by federal or state agencies as specifically provided by law.

  6. Information needed in connection with an emergency to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons, as authorized by Department of Education regulations.

 

Types of Records Maintained

Examples of “educational records” maintained on a student may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

 

Academic
Admission data, courses attempted, grades, dates of enrollment, degrees awarded, academic hours and awards received - Registrar’s Office.

Alumni
Personal, educational, and professional data, contributions and gifts - Alumni Office and Advancement Office.

Athletics
Intercollegiate participation data - Athletic Department and Public Relations Office.

Conduct
Disciplinary records, law violation - Student Engagement

Employment
Student employment information and opportunity profiles W-2 cards - Student Financial Aid Office.

Financial
Student’s (Parent’s) confidential statements, Financial Aid data - Student Financial Aid Office. Charges, payments, delinquent accounts - Business Office.

General
Directory information, correspondence, biographical data - office of record to which information was provided or correspondence addressed.

Health
Medical – College Clinic.
Psychological – Counseling Center.

Recommendations
Personal evaluation, academic evaluation, employment evaluations - office of record for type of evaluation made.

 

Relationship of Disciplinary Records to Academic Records

Conduct records, disciplinary records, and law violations are kept in the Student Engagement Office. These files are separate from academic transcripts and are confidential as noted above. In extreme cases where suspension or expulsion for non-academic reasons is involved, an overlay will be placed on the academic transcripts for as long as the function is enforced. This overlay reads: This transcript reflects only the academic record of the student; this student currently is not in good standing and further information should be requested from Student Engagement.

Records in the Student Engagement Office are maintained for a period of seven years from the date of the incident.  Records pertaining to suspension or expulsion are kept on a permanent basis. A student may request to have his/her disciplinary record destroyed. The record will be evaluated, and the Vice President & Dean of Student Engagement will make decision concerning the keeping or destruction of that record.  No record will be destroyed outside of the timeline indicated in the record retention policy.