Revision Responsibility: Registrar

Responsible Executive Office: President/CEO

Purpose:

To outline Platt College’s policy and procedures for the retention and disposal of College Records and to outline the roles and responsibilities associated with this process. This policy and procedure provides for the systematic review, retention, and destruction of documents received or created in the transaction of Platt College business. The policy is designed to ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, along with accreditation requirements, to eliminate accidental or innocent document destruction of records and to facilitate College operations by promoting efficiency and reducing unnecessary storage of documents. This policy is applicable to all College employees who create, maintain, and/or dispose of College records.

Policy:

I. Definitions:  

A. Record:

A record is anything containing information reflecting College educational and business transactions regardless of format (books, papers, photographs, maps, tapes, recordings, cards, or other documentary materials).

B. Non-Record:

Records relating to a student which are created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional.
Other items such as envelopes, routing slips, data entry sheets, rough drafts, multiple copies.

II. General Information

Platt College is committed to the retention of its records in order to meet legal and accreditation requirements, optimize use of space, minimize cost, preserve the history of the College, and destroy outdated and useless records. This policy identifies certain records that must be retained for specific periods of time and designates official repositories for their maintenance. The following regulatory bodies are adhered to in regards to record maintenance: State of Colorado: Colorado Department of Higher Education, Colorado Board of Nursing; Federal: U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Accrediting Bodies: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. It is the practice of Platt College to maintain records, at minimum, according to the Records Retention and Disposal Schedule below. Although not mandated, it is also the practice of Platt College to adhere to a wider variety of federal and state laws and regulations, along with outside accreditation requirements, in order to manage records efficiently.

All College records are the property of Platt College regardless of their physical location, even when they are in possession of individuals, and, as such, may not be destroyed except in accordance with this policy.

III. Roles and Responsibilities

The Registrar oversees Platt College’s records retention procedure that is consistent with this policy.

In addition to the Registrar, the administrators, staff, and faculty at Platt College are responsible for the development, coordination, implementation, and management of this policy.

IV. Disposal Procedures

When the prescribed retention period for the College records has passed, the College record should be properly disposed. It is the practice of Platt College to maintain records, at minimum, according to the Records Retention and Disposal Schedule. If there is no prescribed retention period, the College record should be disposed when it has outlived its business purpose or usefulness.

Confidential or personal records, e.g., records containing personally identifiable information, personal, or sensitive financial information will be shredded (according to size) by a professional, bonded, and insured shredding company or an appropriate Platt College employee.  All shredding of confidential documents will be completed on the premises of Platt College.

V. Platt Regulations for Retention and Disposal Schedule

Platt College will maintain copies or originals of course exams and assignments that are worth 20% or more of a course grading component for a minimum of 18 months from the end of the academic quarter.  These documents are maintained in a secure location.  At the end of the 18 month period, these documents will be shred. If such an exam or assignment has been uploaded to or completed within CAMS, it will be stored in the learning management system and retrievable indefinitely.

Platt College maintains background checks for students by electronic copy which are uploaded to our student management system and attached to the student’s personal account. No hard copies of student background checks are kept on file. Student background checks remain attached to a student’s account in CAMS indefinitely.

Platt College maintains student “Consent and Release” forms for a minimum of five (5) years after the form has been signed.  This ensures the student’s consent for Platt College to reproduce, publish, its successors and assigns, for commercial, advertising or any other purposes, of a students’ name, photograph, likeness, voice and/or personal data, given, photographed and/or recorded during a certain event is on file.

Platt College maintains medical records for students, kept in a separate file than with other student records and will be shred upon the student’s graduation or last date of attendance.  Medical records of any student who elects not to begin the nursing program at Platt College will be securely and properly disposed within one month (30 days) of the date of notification not to attend.

Platt College maintains application files for all applicants applying to the BSN Program and managed by the Admissions Coordinator. If a student has been accepted in the program but does not start or has chosen not to move forward with the application process,  the applicant’s file will be securely and properly disposed of within one month (30 days) of the date of notification not to attend.

If an applicant has not corresponded with an Admissions Representative within one calendar year, the applicant’s file will be properly disposed of in accordance with the college’s disposal procedures.

Platt College files are either maintained securely electronically or in fire proof safes. 

VI:  Historical Archival of College Academic Records

Platt College maintains personnel files for seventy-five (75) years since the date of separation from the College.

Platt College maintains College Catalogs, Catalog Addendums, and Handbooks for seventy-five (75) years since the date of publication.

Platt College maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress Reports in regards to academic standing permanently.

Privacy Statement:

I. Collection of Information

It is the practice of Platt College to collect the least amount of personally identifiable information required to fulfill its duties and responsibilities in order  to complete a particular transaction, or as required by law. In order to comply with FERPA regulations, information provided will only be shared with individuals with a legitimate educational interest within the college in order to carry out college business.