Student Information and Communication

Lynn Powell Dougherty
ldougherty@uarts.edu
Registrar
Office of the Registrar
Second Floor, Dorrance Hamilton Hall
215-717-6420
215-717-6417 (Fax)
Office of Registrar email: Registrar@uarts.edu

The policies stated herein apply to all matriculated UArts undergraduate and graduate students unless otherwise noted.

The Office of the Registrar maintains the official academic record for each student and is responsible for certifying completion of requirements for graduation. Students who are formally admitted to the University, have paid all applicable tuition and fees, and have a program of courses approved by the required advisor(s) are allowed to register. All students are advised to obtain a copy of their curriculum requirements as soon as possible after admission to the University and to check them against their transcripts after each term. This can be done through the MyUArts Portal. Please note that course and program transactions and changes become official only when properly processed through the Office of the Registrar.

Directory Information

The following is considered directory information at the University of the Arts and will be made available to the general public unless the student submits a petition to the Office of the Registrar requesting to withhold this information prior to the end of the last day of registration.

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail address
• Major field of study
• Dates of attendance
• Current enrollment status (full-time/part-time)
• Class standing
• Last institution attended
• Participation in officially recognized activities
• Receipt or non-receipt of a degree
• Academic awards received (Dean’s list, honor roll)

Under the provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 students have the right to withhold disclosure of directory information.

Please consider carefully the consequences of withholding directory information.  Should you decide not to release directory information, all requests for such information from the University of the Arts will be refused.  For example, organizations such as potential employers, scholarship agencies, members of the press, loan agencies, educational organizations and others will not be given access to the student’s directory information, and will not be able to contact the student. Opting out of directory information may mean that you will miss out on valuable employment, educational, cultural and other opportunities.  Additionally, the University cannot notify your hometown newspaper about awards and honors you receive (e.g., Dean’s list).

To Request Directory Information to be Withheld

A signed petition from the student is required to process this request.  Once processed directory information will not be released until a signed petition to rescind the request is received or until after the student has deceased.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

In 1974, the Congress of the United States enacted the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Public Law 93-380, as amended, setting out requirements designed to protect the privacy of students. Specifically, the statute governs 1) access to records maintained by certain educational institutions and agencies, and 2) the release of such records. In brief, the statute provides that such institutions must provide students access to official records directly related to themselves and an opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records; that institutions must obtain the written consent of the student before releasing personally identifiable data from records to other-than-specified exceptions; and that students must be notified of these rights.

1. Student Rights. As such, all students of The University of the Arts have the following rights with regard to educational records maintained by the University:
   1. The right to review educational records that are maintained by the University.
      These records generally include all records of a personally identifiable nature; however, they exclude the financial records of parents and confidential letters and statements of recommendation received prior to June 1, 1975.
   2. The right to inspect and review records.
      Such requests may be made by completing an “Access Request for Educational Records,” which is available in the Office of the Registrar. Upon receipt of a request an appointment will be made to review records within 45 days.
   3. The right to appeal misinformation in the files.
      If a student believes any information in the file is inaccurate or misleading, that individual may request, in writing, the custodian of the record to amend, delete, or otherwise modify the objectionable material. If said request is denied, the student may request that a hearing be held to further pursue the request. At this hearing, the student may be represented by a person of his or her choice, if so desired. If after the hearing the request to amend is again denied by the University, the student has the right to place in the file a statement or other explanatory document, provided that such statements or documents relate solely to the disputed information.
   4. The right to appeal violation of rights.
      If a student believes that any of his or her rights hereunder have been violated by the University, he or she should make such facts known to the Dean of Students in writing. If the Dean of Students does not resolve the matter and the student still feels that his or her rights have been violated, he or she may so inform the Department of Education in writing.
   5. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.
      Students have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:
      Family Policy Compliance Office
      U.S. Department of Education
      400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
      Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
   6. The right to select a physician or other appropriate professional, at personal expense, to review records on a student’s behalf, that have been created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional while an individual has been a student at the University, filed with The University.
2. Definitions
   1. The Educational Record maintained by the University will consist of:
      1. Directory information as noted above
      2. Application for admission
      3. Applicant’s secondary school records
      4. Cumulative University of the Arts records of grades, credits, grade point average, and academic actions
      5. Correspondence (or copies thereof) re: admission, enrollment, registration, probation
      6. Student petitions
      7. Disciplinary actions
      8. Departmental appraisals and evaluations of student progress
   2. The Educational Records do not include:
      1. Parents’ and students’ confidential financial documents
      2. Counseling psychologists’ files
      3. Health Office files
      4. Faculty and staff memoranda/files retained for personal/professional use
   3. Educational Records are maintained by the following:
      1. Office of the Registrar
      2. Office of the Dean of Students
      3. Financial Aid Office
      4. Finance Office
      5. Office of Continuing Studies
   4. A dependent student is defined as one who is declared a dependent by his or her parents for income-tax purposes.
   5. A student is defined as a person who attends or has attended the University. Persons who have applied to but who have not attended the University as an enrolled student are not covered under FERPA.
3. University Rights & Responsibilities.
   1. The University may not generally release any information outside the University that is maintained in educational records without prior consent or waiver. However, the University does have the right to release the following information:

      (If a student does not wish any of this information made public, either in a directory of students or in any other manner, the student must inform the Office of the Registrar no later than the end of the third week of classes each semester of the information not to be released.)

      1. Name
      2. Address
      3. Email address
      4. Telephone listing
      5. Date and place of birth
      6. Major field of study
      7. Participation in officially recognized activities
      8. Dates of attendance
      9. Degrees and awards received
      10. The most recent previous educational institution attended by the student.
      11. Enrollment status.
   2. The University may disclose FERPA-related information without consent to school officials when there is a legitimate educational interest. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, or research or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); or a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent). A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
   3. While release of information from educational records to outside parties requires the student’s explicit consent, the following exceptions do not require the student’s consent:
   4. 1. Compilation of general enrollment data for reports required by U.S. Government and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania authorities;
      2. Participatory information-sharing with educational service associations such as the College Scholarship Service and the American Council on Education;
      3. Information about an individual student in the event of a personal emergency that is judged to threaten the health and/or safety of that student;
      4. Compliance with judicial orders and lawfully issued subpoenas;
      5. Reference by appropriate University of the Arts faculty and professional staff.
      6. In cases of violent crime, the results of any disciplinary proceeding conducted by the University against an accused student to the alleged victim.

      7. Any release of information as outlined above that identifies an individual student and requires that student’s consent will be recorded in his or her permanent record.

   5. The University reserves the right to inform parents/guardians of dependent students where it deems appropriate-specifically when it has cause to believe that a student’s status at the University may be in jeopardy due to disciplinary reasons.
   6. Requests for the records of a deceased student must be accompanied by a notarized statement from the executor of the estate of the deceased approving the release of records. Requests concerning students who have long been deceased will be evaluated by the University based on legitimate educational interest.
4. Directory Information The University of the Arts has determined that the following information will be considered “directory information” and may release it without prior consent from the student:

A.  Name
B.  Address
C. Telephone listing
D. Email address
E. Date and place of birth
F. Major field of study
G. Participation in officially recognized activities
H. Dates of attendance
I.  Enrollment status
J.  Degrees and awards received
K.  Last institution attended

Federal legislation relating to student consumer rights requires all institutions participating in Federal student assistance programs to compile and publish completion and graduation rates. The information-gathering requirements are contained in legislation known as the Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act as amended by the Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1991. Title I of the Act requires institutions to annually disclose completion and graduation rates of full-time certificate or degree-seeking undergraduate students to current and prospective students. The University of the Arts is pleased to provide the following information regarding our institution’s graduation/completion rates. These rates reflect the graduation/completion status of students who enrolled during the 2002-2003 school year and for whom 150 percent of the normal time-to-completion has elapsed. During the Fall semester of 2002, 444 first-time, full-time, certificate or degree-seeking undergraduate students entered UArts. After six years (as of August 31, 2008), 68 percent of these students had graduated from our institution or completed their programs. Many factors should be taken into consideration when reviewing graduation or transfer rates. It is important to recognize that students withdraw from college for various reasons; academic, medical, employment opportunities, personal, social and financial issues are among those reasons. Questions related to graduation/completion rates should be directed to Beth E. Frederick, Director of Institutional Research (215) 717-6387.

Students often need to send additional information concerning their enrollment to insurance companies, loan services, scholarship programs, and other outside parties. The student can either request an enrollment verification in writing or through the MyUArts Portal. Any request for verification of enrollment beyond the directory information listed above must be made in writing and signed by the student wishing to release the information. The request for verification must state exactly which information the student wants released and who is authorized to receive it. There is no fee for this service. The Office of the Registrar will verify enrollment for a future semester only after the student has registered in classes and has been cleared by the Student Billing Office. Normal service for other verifications of enrollment is three to five working days from the time the request is received. For immediate service (24 hours/7 days per week), enrollment verification requests may be made via to the National Student Clearing House secure website to make your request. There is a small fee for each request made of $2.50. The Website address is: http://www.studentclearinghouse.org.

All transcript requests come to the Office of the Registrar for UARTS programs as follows:

• Undergraduate transcripts
• Graduate transcripts
• Continuing Education transcripts
• Professional Institute for Educators transcripts

Transcript FAQ

• All questions pertaining to transcript requests should be directed to the Office of the Registrar at 215-717-6420.
• In order to process a transcript request the student’s account must be in good financial standing. Please allow three to five working days to complete requests.
• “Unofficial” transcripts for current students may be viewed and printed through the MyUArts portal or obtained from the Office of the Registrar at no charge.

Transcript can be requested in two ways:

REQUEST ONLINE: You can order official copies of your transcript online in minutes through the National Student Clearing House. It is easy to use and secure. All major credit cards are accepted.

• Go to the transcript-ordering page.
• Create your user ID/password and profile (saves your information for future orders).
• Let Transcript Ordering walk you through placing your order,
• Check your email for updates on the status of your transcript order.
• Log on using the userID/password you created to obtain real-time order status and history whenever you want.

REQUEST IN-PERSON or BY MAIL: You may request a transcript by completing a transcript request form available in the Office of the Registrar, or by sending a written request, including the following information:
 

• Name under which you attended the University or any predecessor institutions
• Current address and telephone number
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Last date of attendance
• Program (major/degree or P.I.E. or Continuing Education classes)
• Address where transcript is to be sent
• Signature: transcripts will not be released without the original signature of the requesting student

Mail Requests To:
Office of the Registrar
The University of the Arts
320 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Attention: Transcript Requests
or
Fax Requests To:
Office of the Registrar
The University of the Arts
Attention: Transcript Requests
215-717-6417

Transcript Fees for in-person or mailed requests:

Regular Service: There is a $5 fee for each transcript that you request. Checks should be made payable to The University of the Arts. Transcripts will be processed normally within three to five business days and then mailed via U.S. Mail.
Fax Service: Transcript requests received by fax will be subject to a $10 fee. They will be processed within three to five business days and sent via U.S. Mail. Faxed requests must include a credit card number, expiration date and an authorizing signature. The University accepts Visa or MasterCard payments.
Emergency Service: Available for a $12 fee for request. Transcripts will be processed within one day of receipt of request and sent out via U.S. Mail.
FedEx Service: Available for a $30 fee in the U.S. only. The transcript request will be processed within one day and sent via FedEx overnight service.
International Emergency Service: Available for a $40 fee. The transcript request will be processed within one day and sent via DHL.

In accordance with the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, The University of the Arts has available, upon request, information regarding academic programs, financial assistance, and institutional policies and statistics. This information may be found in the University’s catalog.

• The Student Assistance General Provisions report includes information on the following:

• Accreditation
• Current degree programs including related facilities and faculty
• Tuition, fees, and other estimated expenses
• Withdrawal and refund policies
• Description of financial aid programs, including eligibility, award criteria, and application procedures, as well as students’ rights and responsibilities upon receiving financial assistance (such as continued eligibility, exit counseling, and options for payment deferral)
• Requirements for the return of Title IV grant or loan assistance
• Services available for students with disabilities
• Graduation rate

In addition, each October, the Public Safety Department publishes an annual report on the University’s security policies and crime statistics, which is available to all current and prospective students and employees.

To request a copy of the Student Assistance General Provisions report, please contact the Office of the Provost, The University of the Arts, 320 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102.

Students are responsible for regularly reading and responding to email sent by the University faculty, staff, and administration to the students’ UArts email account for the entirety of the time they are enrolled at the University. Students are also required to use their UArts email account for all email correspondence with the University’s faculty, staff and administration. Therefore, the University’s offices and faculty will only accept email when sent via the student’s UArts email account.

Each student is assigned an email account upon enrolling, and is responsible for activating their account by the first day of classes of their first semester of attendance. Students can activate their email account online through the University portal. A letter containing the user account and pin number will be mailed to the student¹s home residence once they indicate intention to enroll by submitting a tuition deposit. The portal URL address is http://myuarts.uarts.edu. Email and Portal support can be obtained by visiting Network Services in Room 250 in Hamilton Hall, via telephone at 215-717-6997, or by emailing portalsupport@uarts.edu.

Students are also expected to regularly check the My UArts Portal for University-related announcements and notifications. The portal is the primary source for student information, which includes grades, class schedules, transcripts, degree audits, and GPAs. Please note that information such as this is no longer mailed to students via U.S. mail, except upon request. Access to the portal, including student email, is available in the open computer labs on campus.

Email and portal accounts remain active for enrolled students and students on approved hiatus and will not be terminated unless the student is withdrawn from the University. The accounts for students who graduate from the University will remain active for one year from the graduation date, however, those interested in keeping their accounts beyond this time period can call the Development office at 215-717-6140 to make appropriate arrangements.

Students are also expected to regularly check the MyUArts portal for University-related announcements and notifications. The portal is the primary source for student information, as well as access to the student’s academic record. Through the MyUArts portal students can register online, change their address, request an official transcript or enrollment verification, review their grades, class schedules, transcripts, degree audits, and GPAs. Because this information is readily available through the portal, information such as this is no longer mailed to students via U.S. mail, except upon request.

It is essential that students keep the Office of the Registrar informed of all current addresses. A change of address can be completed through the MyUArts portal or by obtaining a form from the Office of the Registrar. All information sent via U.S. mail is mailed to the addresses provided by the student and cannot be changed by anyone other then the student.

Students must notify the Office of the Registrar of any change of name (through marriage, divorce, etc.) by bringing to the office an original legal document showing the change, which may be photocopied by the Registrar and kept on file.