Policy on Release of New-Student Information

Title

Policy on Release of New-Student Information

Introduction

Purpose

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions recognize the importance of responsible, appropriate, and effective communication with entering undergraduate students. This policy defines the guidelines for the release of new-student information for the purpose of communication prior to the start of a student's first semester. The definition of "entering undergraduate students," hereafter referred to as "new students," applies to those students who have been admitted but are not yet attending classes in the term to which they have been admitted. To guide this effort, a steering committee comprised of members from the offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Undergraduate Curricula, Student Affairs, University Counsel, Registrar, and Student Government created the following policy.

Scope of Applicability

This policy applies to requests for undergraduate, new-student and family contact information.

Policy

Release of Information to the Public

Information about applicants for admission is not a public record, and the University is not required to release it. When students enroll at the University, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives students the right to restrict access to their "directory information" and prevent it from being released. The campus FERPA policy provides a detailed overview of the disclosure and non-disclosure of all student data by the University. In order to allow each new student an opportunity to decide whether to restrict access to "directory information," the University does not release that information on new students to the public until after the last day for late registration for the Fall semester. After this date, requests for this information should be submitted directly to the Office of the University Registrar.

Release of Information to University Departments

University departments that need contact information - name, address, telephone listing and/or email address - in order to communicate with new students and their families must request that information from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and must submit the proposed communication with the request.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will provide the contact information to University departments in order to help them communicate essential and time-sensitive information that:

  • Assists new students in completing the steps they must take to ensure their enrollment at the University; and/or
  • Helps new students prepare for a successful transition into the campus community, so that they might thrive academically and socially and complete their degrees on time.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will review the text of each request to assure that the communication meets the above guidelines. Before receiving the requested information, the department or organization must sign a statement acknowledging:

  • It will use the information only for the specific purpose in the stated request.
  • It will not release or redistribute the information to any other party.
  • It will follow appropriate record protection policies.
  • It will securely destroy the information on or before the date specified in the data request, or no later than the last day for late registration for Fall semester, whichever comes first, and it will certify to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions that it has destroyed the information.

University-Affiliated Groups/Recognized Student Organizations

University-affiliated groups, including recognized student organizations, may only receive name, address, telephone listing and/or email address information for new students and their families if their request meets the criteria set forth above and the new students have granted permission to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to release their information.

Definitions

New students: Applies to those undergraduate students who have been admitted but are not yet attending classes in the term to which they have been admitted.

Contact information: Data that are necessary to communicate with students and their families. These include preferred and legal names, physical mailing addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers of new students and those whom they have identified as parents, step-parents, or guardians.

University-Affiliated Groups/Recognized Student Organizations: Entities, including student organizations, that are associated with the University, but operate independently. The University does not sponsor the activities associated with these groups.

Related Requirements

External Regulations and Consequences

University Policies, Standards, and Procedures

Contact Information

Policy Contact

UNC-CH Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Phone: 919-966-3621
Email: unchelp@admissions.unc.edu
Website

Other Contacts

UNC-CH Office of the University Registrar
Phone: 919-962-3954
Website

History

Policy Title: Release of New-Student Contact Information

Effective Date: January 2, 2009

Last Revised: March 9, 2020

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Details

Article ID: 132179
Created
Thu 4/8/21 9:25 PM
Modified
Tue 10/31/23 1:21 PM
Responsible Unit
School, Department, or other organizational unit issuing this document.
Provost - Undergraduate Admissions
Issuing Officer
Name of the document Issuing Officer. This is the individual whose organizational authority covers the policy scope and who is primarily responsible for the policy.
Issuing Officer Title
Title of the person who is primarily responsible for issuing this policy.
Associate Provost
Next Review
Date on which the next document review is due.
02/04/2022 12:00 AM
Last Review
Date on which the most recent document review was completed.
02/04/2021 7:48 AM
Last Revised
Date on which the most recent changes to this document were approved.
03/10/2020 10:23 AM
Effective Date
If the date on which this document became/becomes enforceable differs from the Origination or Last Revision, this attribute reflects the date on which it is/was enforcable.
02/04/2021 7:48 AM
Origination
Date on which the original version of this document was first made official.
01/02/2009 11:00 PM