Sealing Student Records

Kutztown University Policy FIN-006

1. Purpose

   
   The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for use by offices that are authorized to seal student records.  These guidelines are intended to encourage student responsibility while supporting retention and student success. 
   

2. Scope
   
   This policy applies to all offices that have the capability of sealing student records. 
   

3. Key words and phrases:
   

   1. Sealing - The process by which offices restrict access to certain University services.  This restriction prevents a student from using the following University services:  

      1. Admissions

      2. Course Selection 

      3. Procuring  

      4. Transcripts  

      5. Graduation 

   2. Cleared Funds - Payments that have been deposited and have been validated by the bank as sufficient funds.  Typical clearing time locally is two weeks.  Outside agencies use 30-45 days before they will report a payment as cleared.  Credit card payments, money orders, and certified bank checks clear immediately. 

4. Policy & Procedure(s)
   

   1. General Policy: 

      Students must receive timely notice when a restriction is placed on his/her records by the restricting office.  A notification that threatens to seal a student's records does not satisfy this requirement.  Restriction lists must be reviewed and updated regularly, particularly at the end of the semester, and just prior to the opening of course selection for future terms.  If a student satisfies a restricting office's requirement, the restriction on his/her record or account must be removed no later than the next business day and only once the funds have cleared.  Payments to satisfy debts at outside agencies must be cleared and reported to Kutztown University before the restriction is removed. 

   2. Financial Restrictions: 

      The Bursar’s office is responsible for restricting students for outstanding financial obligations.  For example, if a student owes $500.00 for lost-A/V equipment that information should be sent to the Bursar’s office for collection after the student has been notified by the A/V department.  All financial obligations follow the same collections process. 

      1. Students with outstanding balances greater than $10 for more than 30 days will be restricted from receiving their Transcript and Diploma only; no restriction will be placed on their Course Registration (“Transcript and Diploma Hold”). 

      2. Students with outstanding balances $300.00 or greater will be restricted from registering for a future semester until satisfactory payment arrangements are made. Since the balance is greater than $10.00, these students will also be prevented from receiving a transcript or diploma (“Registration, Transcript and Diploma Hold”).

      3. After three billing cycles, all outstanding balances greater than $100.00 are sent to the Attorney General’s (AG’s) Office for collections.  All accounts sent to the AG’s Office for collections will remain restricted until the outstanding balance is satisfied with cleared funds. 

      4. Students who owe any balance of any amount that have applied to graduate or have withdrawn for any reason may be sealed until all balances are satisfied with cleared funds. 

      5. Restrictions may not be overridden via a memo.  Overrides must be accomplished by removing the restriction on-line. 

5. Effective Dates

   July 1, 1993 
   Reviewed 8/2007 
   Revised:  June 2014 

6. Approved By
   
   The President

7. Amendments
   
   

   06/19/14:  Updated language to add a definition of key term within the policy; updated language to revise Policy paragraph.  

8. Last Review
   

   August, 2009 
   August, 2010 
   August, 2011 
   August, 2012 
   August, 2013 
   June, 2014 
   June 2026 (renamed from A&F-015)