Procedure 5.6.3: Confidentiality and Security of Student Information for Academic Advising

Effective Date: Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Academic Advisors complies with the Confidentiality and Security of Student Information Policy by implementing the following operational procedures. Academic Advisors also complies with the campus-wide Procedure for Confidentiality and Security of Student Information.

Accessing Student Information

The academic advising records are accessible only to appropriate faculty advisors and academic support staff.

Collecting Student Information

  1. Student records are accessible through the college operating system and AIG system.
  2. Hardcopies of student transcripts, placement test scores, career assessments or other student records as needed are received from Enrollment Management through interoffice mail.
  3. Additional information is received directly from the student.

Distributing Student Information

  1. Email communication cannot include the following student information: birthdates, social security numbers or confidential information. All e-mail correspondence to and from Haywood Community College email addresses are subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law (G. S. 132.1- G. S. 132.10), which may result in monitoring and disclosure to third parties, including law enforcement.
  2. Student grade and attendance rosters are sent to Enrollment Management through interoffice mail (these do not contain student SSN or birthdates).

Processing Student Information

  1. Student folder labels include the Student Name and the Student Colleague ID number. There is no reference of the student’s social security number on the outside of the student file.
  2. Hardcopies are placed in a folder in a locked file cabinet in the Counselor’s Office; records are scanned and placed on a secure network accessible only by the Counseling/ADA office through the AIG system.

Protecting Student Information

  1. Offices—academic advising files are returned to a locked cabinet at the end of each day, or after use during the day. Files are not left unattended in any office/front desk area.
  2. Back-up of all digital records is performed daily by the technology office.
  3. Student Information is restricted and housed in networks accessible only by appropriate personnel; confidential student information is not stored on desktop hard drives or laptops.

Storing Student Information

  1. All hard copies of student academic records are kept in a locked cabinet in advisor offices. At the end of each business day, all files and student documents (i.e. transcripts, applications, etc.) are returned to the locked file cabinet for security purposes.
  2. All digital records are stored on a server in the 200 Building Technology Office
  3. Security and confidentiality protocol for digital records follow the campus wide procedure for security and confidentiality of student information.

Using Student Information

  1. As part of the NC Community College System, HCC implemented Colleague operating system in 2006. As part of that system, student ID’s are generated for use instead of the social security number or birth date. The student ID is used in all communications regarding students, such as reports, internally. The social security and birth dates are used only on official transcripts, which have to be verified at the receiving institution, as the student ID only applies to HCC student records.
  2. Access is provided to HCC personnel based on need to know.

Transmitting Student Information

  1. Hardcopies of grade and attendance rosters are submitted to Enrollment Management and Academic Department Offices in person or through interoffice mail.
  2. Other pertinent information is provided directly to the student in person or by US Postal Service. No information is provided to any other person without the direct consent of the student, per FERPA laws. Confidential information is not transmitted through email.
  3. Students may access grades through Blackboard or the college operating system, which is housed in a secure environment maintained by the technology office.

Disposing of Student Information

  1. All documents containing student information, once scanned, are shredded at the end of each business day.
  2. After purging hard copies of selected records in the vault or locked cabinets, per purge schedule, documents are shredded before disposal.

Business Continuity

  1. Academic Services has on file a process for continuation of business in case of interruption
  2. This process is articulated in HCC’s Business Continuity Plan.

Responsibility for Security and Confidentiality of Student Information and Records

The Academic VP, Department Chairs, faculty and academic support staff are responsible for the security and confidentiality of student information and records with regard to the Academic Services/Academic Advising.

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