2023-24 Academic Catalog

Confidentiality and Disposal of Student Records

This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

The University recognizes that the maintenance of student information and educational records is necessary and vital to assist the student’s education and development and to provide opportunities for University research and policy formulation. The University recognizes its obligation to exercise discretion in recording and disseminating information about students to insure that their rights of privacy are  maintained.

The University will furnish annual notification to students of their right to inspect and review their  educational records/the right to request amendment of educational records considered by them to be inaccurate or misleading or that violate privacy or other rights; and of their right to a hearing should the University decline to amend such records. The annual notice will be published in the University’s bulletin. The University utilizes The Guide for Retention and Disposal of Records as published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers as the policy for disposal of student records.

The following guidelines have been developed to insure the privacy rights of students. For the purposes of the policy statement a student is defined as an individual who has been admitted and has been in  attendance in a component unit of the University. Classification as a student in one component unit of the University (e.g., an undergraduate program) does not infer that the person has been accorded the rights outlined below in other component units (i.e. graduate studies, professional schools, and branch campus).

(See AOP 30.02)