Office of Admission
Students' applications, secondary-school reports and letters of recommendation, SAT and ACT scores, and so on, are maintained by the Admissions Office until an admission decision is reached. Letters of recommendation are destroyed, and applications and secondary-school transcripts of those accepted who decide to enroll are sent to the Student Affairs Office and the Registrar's Office to form the students' personal folders.

Office of Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid maintains correspondence dealing with loans, scholarships, etc. All except parents' confidential statements are available for inspection by the student.

Office of Student Affairs
Admission information forwarded by the Admissions Office forms the basis of these records. Besides correspondence with and about students, nonacademic disciplinary records are maintained in separate files. For counseling purposes, the Registrar's Office routinely sends to the Student Affairs office copies of students' academic records.

Office of the Registrar
The Registrar maintains the academic records of all students. Two types of records are kept: permanent and nonpermanent.

Permanent record - The permanent record contains biographical information, complete academic history while at Grinnell, AP, British A-levels, and IB evaluations, high school transcript, major/concentration declarations or changes, independent study and internship contracts, name change authorization, "S/D/F" forms, transfer credit evaluations, CAS dismissal, suspension and probation letters, rights of access waivers or request to suppress directory information, application for admission or readmission, and ACT and SAT scores.

Nonpermanent records - While the student is enrolled, a folder containing correspondence with and about the student is maintained. Such information not covered under "permanent" may be destroyed after the student has graduated or withdrawn.

Recording of suspensions and dismissals - The following policies govern the recording of suspensions and dismissals:

• If a student is suspended from Grinnell for disciplinary or social infractions, the student's transcript will indicate "Conduct Suspension: date." When a student is readmitted from suspension, the "Conduct Suspension: date" is removed from the transcript.
• If a student is suspended from Grinnell because of substandard academic performance, the student's transcript will indicate "Academic Suspension: date." When a student is readmitted from suspension, the "Academic Suspension: date" is removed from the transcript.
• If a student is suspended from Grinnell because of academic dishonesty, the student's transcript will indicate "Academic Dishonesty Suspension: date." When a student is readmitted from suspension, the "Academic Dishonesty Suspension: date" is removed from the transcript.
• If a student is dismissed for a conduct infraction, substandard academic performance, or academic dishonesty, the student's transcript will indicate "Conduct Dismissal: date," or "Academic Dishonesty Dismissal: date."

Questions About Record Accuracy: Challenges to Content
Students have the right to question the accuracy of their records and interpretations of the contents of their records. The following College officers should be consulted:

• Admission: Dean for Admission
• Accounting: Comptroller
• Student Affairs: Vice-President for Student Services
• Financial Aid: Director of Student Financial Aid
• Registrar's Office: Registrar

Each of these officers will answer questions and interpret information in the files. If a student believes the educational records relating to him/her contain information that is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student's rights of privacy, he or she may ask the College through the above-identified officials to amend the record. The College must decide whether to amend the record as requested within a reasonable time after it receives the request. If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, it shall inform the student of its decision. The student then has a right to a hearing before the College and to challenge the content of the student's educational records on the grounds that the information contained in the records is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the privacy rights of the student.
If, as a result of the hearing, the College decides that the information is inaccurate, misleading or otherwise in violation of the privacy rights of the student, it shall amend the record accordingly and inform the student of the amendment in writing. Conversely, if, as a result of the hearing, the College decides the information in the educational record is not inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the privacy rights of the student, it shall inform the student of his or her right to place a statement in the record commenting on the contested information in the record or stating why he or she disagrees with the decision of the College, or both.

Transcripts
All requests for transcripts are made at the Registrar's Office and must be authorized by the student or former student by their signature. Transcripts are free of charge. Transcripts will not be provided for those who have overdue financial obligations to the College.

Note: The unauthorized altering of an academic record is a crime punishable by law. Students or graduates who fail to respect and maintain the integrity of their academic record, or copies thereof, will be prosecuted. Grinnell also reserves the right to limit or discontinue transcript service for such individuals.

Other Records
When copies of other records are provided, a charge will be assessed at the rate of 25 cents per page. Federal law prohibits the College from providing copies of transcripts from secondary schools and other colleges or universities.

Note: The above policies and procedures are, to the best of our knowledge, consistent with the requirements mandated by Section 438 of the General Education Provisions Act, as amended (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, or the "Buckley Amendment"), and the regulations pursuant thereto as issued by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, June 17, 1976.

A student may file a complaint with the following governmental office regarding an alleged violation by the College of the Buckley amendment. The complaint must be in writing and addressed to: Family Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-4605. The complaint must contain specific allegations of fact giving reasonable cause to believe that a violation of the Buckley amendment has occurred. The complaint must be submitted within 180 days of the date of the alleged violation or the date the student knew or reasonably should have known of the alleged violation; the Family Policy Compliance Office may extend this time limit for good cause shown.