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Integrity of Student Records
As indicated in the report of the Off-Site Review Committee, the college maintains institutional policies to protect the security and integrity of its student records, namely in the form of the Student Records and Privacy Rights Policy and the Public Records Policy. Concern was expressed by the Off-Site Review Committee as to whether these policies addressed all student records, and specifically student disciplinary or financial aid records.
The college has operated under the assumption that both student disciplinary and financial aid records are included in the student records addressed in the Student Records and Privacy Rights Policy and the Public Records Policy. To clarify its definition of student records, the Craven Community College Board of Trustees updated both its Student Records and Privacy Policy and its Public Records Policy at its July 18, 2006, Board meeting. Both policies now incorporate financial aid and disciplinary records into the sections of privacy and record access accorded to student academic records.
Specifically, the CCC Board of Trustees added a line in 2.c, the Education Records part of the Definitions section of the Student Records and Privacy Policy that reads:
Without limitation, education records include academic scores, transcripts, financial accounts, financial aid information, and disciplinary records.
With regard to the Public Records Policy, the Craven Community College Board amended the heading for section 2 of the policy to clearly indicate that the policy applies to disciplinary and financial aid records. The heading of section 2 now reads:
(2.) College students' education, disciplinary, financial aid and counseling records.
Security of Student Records
The Dean of Enrollment and Student Services and the Associate Vice President for Student Services maintain student disciplinary records, which are secured in the Student Record Office in a locked, fire-proof file cabinet. These records are only accessible to the Dean, the Associate Vice President for Student Services, and the Records Technician who verifies student enrollment information. College policies for security, confidentiality, and integrity of these records are governed by the Student Records and Privacy Rights Policy and Public Records Policy.
Financial aid student records from 2002 to 2004 have been electronically stored on digital media (compact disks). One copy of each disk is stored in a locked fireproof filing cabinet on campus and another copy is stored in a safe deposit box off campus. The records from 2004 to the present are scanned into the college computer system, to which only authorized personnel have access. This is protected by individual login and password and is backed up as part of the college's security procedures described below. Incomplete files (ones which are still missing data items) are stored in a locked filing cabinet to which only financial aid staff has access.
Electronic student data is password protected and available to authorized personnel only.
This information is backed up nightly and stored in a locked, physically-secure facility away from the computer server. Further, there is a monthly and annual backup that is stored in the same area (see Craven Community College Disaster Prevention and Recovery Plan).
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