Catalog 2020-2021 
    
    Oct 14, 2024  
Catalog 2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Records, Transcripts, Release of Information


Return to: Rules, Regulations, & Policies  

Student Records

The Admissions, Registration & Records Office keeps the following student information:

  1. Personal Data: name, address, phone number, gender, birth-date, ethnic background, employment status, student number, and student social security number.
  2. Educational background information: previous high school and/or college attended and degrees earned.
  3. College major and degree or certificate expectations.
  4. Degrees and honors received.
  5. College records containing courses attempted, grades earned, credits earned, and dates of enrollment.
  6. Courses, hours, and credits of current enrollment.

A cumulative record of each student’s college application, correspondence, and other miscellaneous forms is kept active while the student is enrolled in the College. If the student’s enrollment ceases, the file is kept active for two years. If the student does not enroll again during this two-year period, the record is retired, and the file is destroyed in accordance with the regulations of the Colorado State Archives.

Notification to Students of Privacy Rights Under FERPA

 The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students four specific rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

(1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records at Aims Community College (hereafter referred to as “the college”) within 45 days of the day the office of Admissions, Registration & Records receives a request for access.

A student should submit to the Registrar or other college official within the office of Admissions, Registration & Records, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The Registrar or other Admissions, Registration & Records official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the Admissions, Registration & Records office, the student shall be advised of the correct college official to whom the request should be addressed.

(2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

A student who wishes to ask the college to amend a record should write the college official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

If the college decides not to amend the record as requested, the college will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

 (3) The right to provide written consent before the college discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent (see the”Release of Information” section below). The college discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position; a person or company with whom the college has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using college employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another college official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the college.

Upon request, the college also discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202-5901

 

Release of Information

Except as described below, the release of student education record information to third parties requires written and signed permission of the student regardless of age. The following data are considered Directory Information and may be disclosed by the College in response to inquiries concerning students whether the inquiries are in person, in writing, via e-mail, or over the telephone.

1. Name

2. Affirmation of whether the student is currently enrolled full time or part time.

3. Dates and terms of enrollment.

4. Major fields of study.

5. Degrees and/or certificates earned.

Addresses (including e-mail) are considered personally identifiable information and are not released as Directory Information except for the following:

 1. Graduation lists released to news media, which may include the student’s city of residence.

 2. Other listings to the news media and college personnel for special awards, honors, and events.

Written consent from/by the student for release of education records or personally identifiable information shall not be required for the following parties or instances:

 1. School officials with legitimate educational interests. A “school official” is a person employed by Aims Community College; a person or company with whom the College has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using College employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a “legitimate educational interest” only if the official needs to review the education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the College.

2. Officials of other schools or colleges where the student intends to enroll.

3. State and local educational authorities in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal or State supported education programs.

 4. Persons or organizations providing financial aid to students or determining financial aid decisions on the condition that the information is necessary to:

a. determine eligibility for the aid,

b. determine the amount of aid,

c. determine the condition for aid, or

d. enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.

5. Organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the college.

6.  Accrediting organizations.

7. Parents of a dependent child as defined by Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 152, and as certifiable with notarized documents.

8. In compliance with judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena, including ex parte orders under the USA Patriot Act of 2001.

9. In case of emergency to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.

10. Military recruiters who (as mandated by the Solomon Amendment of 1997) have access to name, address, telephone number, date of birth, level of education, and educational institution most recently attended in addition to Directory Information listed above.

11. State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to C.R.S. 24-72-204.

Currently enrolled students may request the college prohibit the release of Directory Information by notifying the Registrar in writing. The college will honor the request no later than 5 business days after the Registrar receives the notice. The college will honor the request until the student notifies the Registrar in writing to void the request (it may take up to 5 days after receiving the notice to void the request). The college assumes no liability which may arise from compliance with a request to prohibit the release of Directory Information.

Questions regarding the release of information should be directed to the Admissions, Registration & Records Office.

Transcripts

Aims provides both electronic and paper transcripts upon the student’s request. Aims currently contracts with a secure transcript sending company called Parchment and all transcript requests must be made through this service. Parchment is accessible to current students through their MyAims account and to former students through a link on Aims’ website (https://www.aims.edu/student/sert/transcripts.php).

 

Third-party transcript requests made on behalf of the student can be sent to Aims Community College at the following address:

 

Aims Community College

Arty’s Burrow - Building 1

2401 W. 20th Street

Greeley, CO 80634

FAX - 970.506.6958

 

Note: A student’s account with Aims Community College must be settled and the student must be in compliance with the terms of any student loans before a transcript (official or unofficial) may be released.

Transcripts or copies of transcripts from other colleges or institutions which were used for evaluation of transfer credit or for admission purposes will never be released by Aims Community College. The student must obtain transcripts directly from the institution holding their original record.

 

Questions about transcripts? Please contact 970-339-6404, option 4 OR email transcripts@aims.edu.