Student Records

Permanent Record:

Empire State College is required by State University of New York policy to keep complete student record information for six years after the student has left the college. After that time, only permanent record information is maintained. Currently, permanent record information comprises:

• official transcript documents, including all contract evaluations for credit awarded and a degree program, if approved; and
• a degree program rationale.

Prior to 1993, only official transcript documents were maintained as the permanent record.

Name Change:

To change the name that is on your student records, you must submit a written request with evidence of the name change to the Office of the Registrar. A copy of a driver’s license, marriage certificate, Social Security card or court order is acceptable. The written request should be mailed to:

Office of the Registrar
Empire State College
2 Union Avenue
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4390

Transcripts:

Your official transcript from Empire State College consists of:

1. A cover page withyour name,
   • ID number,
   • start date of studies,
   • end date of studies (if the degree has been awarded),
   • degree (if the degree program, if applicable, has been approved),
   • degree award date (if the degree has been awarded),
   • signature of the registrar,
   • date of issuance, and
   • raised seal of the college.
2. the program summary (assessment credit and studies to be completed at the college)
3. course completion information
4. summary transcript page displaying all attempted studies in chronological order and outcomes/grades awarded. A cumulative grade point average will be computed for all courses with letter grades awarded.

To have your transcript released to yourself or any other person or organization (college/university, employers or other agencies), you must make a written request to the college registrar or complete and send in a Transcript Request Form. Transcript Request Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar, local college sites or can be printed from the web site at www.esc.edu/TranscriptRequest.

The first transcript ordered is free. There is a $5 fee for each additional transcript ordered. Payment should accompany the request.

Transcripts are not released until all debts or obligations to the college have been satisfied. Students on the Time Payment Plan will have transcripts released as long as their payments are made in accordance with the agreement.

Certification/Verification of Enrollment or Graduation to an Outside Party:
The college registrar will supply, on request, certification/verification of certain academic information regarding student records and the status of a student. There are many reasons that a student may require an official certification/verification of their enrollment or graduation. Some of these include insurance purposes or job or graduate school applications. These brief statements are not substitutes for an official transcript.

All enrollment and graduation certification/verification requests are processed by the Office of the Registrar. When requesting such information, you must include all of the following:

• your name and original signature
• your Social Security number and/or college identification number
• the name and complete address of the company, organization or school to whom the enrollment verification is to be sent
• a phone number, e-mail (if available) and your address where you may be contacted in case there are any questions

Enrollment verification can be requested by:

• fax: send request to the attention of Office of the Registrar at 518 580-0105;
• mail to the attention of Office of the Registrar, Empire State College, Two Union Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-4390.

Confidentiality of Student Records:

Empire State College complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). The act ensures that both current and former students have the right to inspect their education records, to consent to release of their education records to a third party, and to question information contained in the education records. Recorded information, except directory information, is not made freely available to individuals outside the school without consent. The college’s full policy on adherence to FERPA please see the Policies and Procedures section located elsewhere in this catalog.