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Academic Policies

Student Records Retention Schedule

This records retention schedule is based on recommendations developed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers' (AACRAO) Retention of Records: Guide for Retention and Disposal of Student Records (2000 Edition), recommendations from the IUPUI Registrar's Office, and the IUPUI Special Collections and Archives. All units that maintain student records in their offices should follow the instructions of this records retention schedule.

While several different units on campus play important roles in the course of a student's enrollment, coursework, and graduation, Student Central is the official repository for IUFW students' final, official academic record. Student Central has primary responsibility to maintain the official grades for all coursework undertaken at IUFW as part of a student's Academic Record. A variety of units have responsibility for records created in the progress of a student's career other than the student's official Academic Record. This retention schedule provides instruction for how long those records must be maintained.

Because Student Central is the official repository of each student's official IUFW Academic Record, other units on campus are released from the responsibility to maintain student Academic Records for extended periods. Copies of student Academic Records accumulated by other units need not be retained beyond the period of their administrative use in those units' offices. By following this records retention schedule, campus units may dispose of student records and copies of records when their retention is no longer necessary.

Many of the student records covered by this records retention schedule contain confidential information protected by federal and state law. Staff are required to handle and dispose of these confidential records appropriately to protect student privacy.


IUFW Student Records

The following records retention schedule is color-coded to indicate the office that has primary custody for the records in question:

Admissions Green
Registrar Blue
Schools Red
International Affairs Purple
Dean of Students & Schools Light Blue

 

Record Retention—Official Copy Retention—Copies
Admissions-Applicants Who Do Not Enroll (Admissions Office)
Effective for the Fall 2004 semester and thereafter, most materials for undergraduate admission are imaged and the image will be retained for at least ten years.
Acceptance Letter 1 year after application term Until end of application term
Advanced Placement Results 2 years after application term  
Applications 2 years after application term  
Correspondence (ALL) 2 years after application term  
Entrance Exam Results/Scores 2 years after application term  
Letters of Recommendation 2 years after application term  
Military Records 2 years after application term  
Placement Test Results/Scores 2 years after application term  
Requests to Update Application 2 years after application term  
Recruitment Records 2 years after application term  
Transcripts (high school and college) 2 years after application term  
International Student Records 2 years after application term  
Record Retention—Official Copy Retention—Copies
Admissions-Applicants Who Enroll
Effective for the Fall 2004 semester and thereafter, most materials for undergraduate admission are imaged and the image will be retained for at least ten years.
Acceptance Letter 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance Until admitted
Advanced Placement Results 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Applications 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Correspondence (ALL) 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Entrance Exam Results/Scores 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Letters of Recommendation Destroy when admitted  
Military Records 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Placement Test Results/Scores 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Readmission Records 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Recruitment Records Destroy when admitted  
Student Waivers for rights to access to letters of recommendation  Destroy when terminated  
Transcripts (high school and college) 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
International Student Records 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Record Retention—Official Copy Retention—Copies
Registration and Attendance/Academic Progress Records
Academic Action Authorization (dismissal) 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance 1 year after date of action
Academic Record Permanent  
Advanced Placement and Other Placement Tests 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Advising Notes 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Application for Graduation 1 year after graduation or date of last attendance  
Application for Admission or Readmission 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Audit Authorization 1 year after date submitted  
Change of Course (Drop/Add) 1 year after date submitted  
Change of Grade Record Permanent  
Class Roster (Original Grades) Permanent  
Class Schedules (Students) 1 year after graduation or date of last attendance  
Correspondence (ALL) 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Credit by Exam Report/Scores 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Credit/No Credit Approval (Audit, Pass/Fail) 1 year after date submitted  
Curriculum Change Authorization 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Degree Audit Record 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Disciplinary Action Record 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
FERPA Record As long as relevant student records are retained  
Foreign/International Student Records (INS Record) 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Grade Change Appeal documents (grade was changed) 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Grade Change Appeal documents (grade was not changed) 2 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Grade Report (Registrar’s copies) 1 year after date submitted  
Graduation List Permanent  
Graduation Authorization 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Hold or Encumbrance Authorization (ALL) Until released  
Military Record 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Name Change Authorization 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Pass/Fail Record 1 year after date submitted  
Personal Data Information Record 1 year after graduation or date of last attendance  
Registration Record 1 year after date submitted  
Transcript Request (student’s) 1 year after date submitted  
Transfer Credit Evaluation 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Withdrawal Authorization 2 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Working Documents 5 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Record Retention—Official Copy Retention—Copies
Certification Data/Records
Enrollment Verification 1 year after verification 1 year after verification
Social Security Verification 1 year after verification  
Teacher Certification 1 year after certification  
Veterans Administration 3 years after graduation or date of last attendance  
Record Retention—Official Copy Retention—Copies
Publications/Statistical Data/Institutional Reports
Catalog/Bulletin Permanent: transfer 2 copies to Archives each year
Commencement Program  Permanent: transfer 2 copies to Archives each year
Degree Statistics  Permanent: transfer 1 copy to Archives each year
Enrollment Statistics Permanent: transfer 1 copy to Archives each year
Grade Statistics Permanent: transfer 1 copy to Archives each year
Race/Ethnicity Statistics Permanent: transfer 1 copy to Archives each year
Schedule of Classes Permanent: transfer 1 copy to Archives each year
Record Retention—Official Copy Retention—Copies
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) Records
Request for Formal Hearing Permanent 1 year after date of action [?]
Request and Disclosure of personally Permanent  
Identifiable Information    
Student Request for Non-disclosure of Directory Information Permanent or until terminated by student  
Student Statement on Content of Records re Hearing Panel Decision Permanent  
Student’s Written Consent for Records Disclosure Permanent or until terminated by student  
Waivers for Rights to Access Permanent or until terminated by student  
Written Decisions of Hearing Panels Permanent  
Record Retention—Official Copy Retention—Copies
Student Records Held by Faculty
Grade Book  5 years after conclusion of class
Student Exams/Papers 1 month after end of term

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