Enrollment: Academic Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the California Education Code afford "eligible students" certain rights with respect to their education records. Eligible students are those who are or have been in attendance at Golden Gate University. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the date the university receives a request for access. A student should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect. The school official will make arrangements for access and will notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the school official to whom the request was submitted, the official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. If the student cannot inspect the records at Golden Gate University’s San Francisco campus, copies of the records will be made available by regular mail at the cost of $0.25 per page, upon satisfactory proof of the student’s identity.
2. The right to request the amendment of a student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to ask the school to amend a record should write the school official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, the University will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from students’ education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent FERPA contains various exceptions to the general rule that the University should not disclose education records without seeking the prior written consent of the student. The following circumstances are representative of those in which education records may be disclosed without the student’s prior written consent:
   1. The University may release directory information upon request. Directory information is information that is not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. See the "Directory Information" section below for more information.
   2. School officials who have a legitimate educational interest in a student’s education record may review it. A school official is a person employed by Golden Gate University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position; a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside the University who performs an institutional service or function for which the University would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the University with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agency or a student volunteering to assist another school official in preforming his or her duties. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the University.
   3. The University discloses education records without consent to officials of another school, in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, upon request of officials at that other school.
   4. The University may inform persons including either parent(s) or guardian(s) when disclosure of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.
   5. The University must provide records in response to lawfully issued subpoenas, or as otherwise compelled by legal process.
4. The right to file a complaint with the US 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
   US Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, DC 20202-5901

Golden Gate University has designated the following student records as directory information, and at its discretion may release this information without the student’s written consent:

• Full name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Dates of attendance
• Enrollment status
• Program of study and concentration(s)
• Participation in officially recognized activities
• Awards
• Honors (including dean’s list)
• Degree(s) earned and date(s) conferred
• ID card photograph

As required by Section 99.37 of the FERPA regulations, this serves as annual public notice of which student records Golden Gate University classifies as “directory information.” Students have the right to withhold all “directory information,” but must notify the registrar in writing by completion and submission of the Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form. Once a non-disclosure hold is placed on a student’s directory information, it will remain in effect until and unless the student removes it by submission of a written request to the registrar.

Golden Gate University has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide transcript ordering via the Web. You can order your transcript using any major credit card. Your card will only be charged after your order has been completed.

• To order an official transcript(s), go to the Clearinghouse Transcript Ordering Center site. You can also track your transcript order via the Clearinghouse Transcript Order Status page.
• If you have a GGU4YOU account, start the ordering process from the GGU4YOU "Student" menu in order to avoid having to send the consent form to the Clearinghouse.
• The Clearinghouse website will walk you through placing your order, including delivery options and fees. You can order as many transcripts as you like in a single session. There is a fee of $10 per transcript copy and a processing fee of $2.25 per recipient. An additional fee of $1.75 is assessed if the optional PDF delivery method is selected. Additional fees for rush service and express delivery apply if these services are requested.
• Order updates will be emailed to you. You can also track your order online.
• Attention Law School JD students: If you are attempting to transfer to another law school and will also need any of the following: a letter of good standing, class rank, or a copy of your LSAT score, DO NOT submit your transcript order online via the Clearinghouse website. Instead request a "transfer out package" by submission of the Student Status Letter Request form and pay the applicable fee. However, if you are ordering only a transcript, you should place your order online via the Clearinghouse website.
• Download our Transcript Ordering Fast Facts for general transcript ordering information.
• If you need to change your legal name-of-record before ordering a transcript, submit the Student Information Change Request form.

If you need further assistance, would like to order a transcript off-line, or have questions regarding your order, you may contact us at records@ggu.edu or 415-442-7285. If you have requested your order online via the National Student Clearinghouse, please include your order number in your communication to us.

The Records Office will notarized your diploma (and transcripts if needed) in order to be authenticated by the California Secretary of State to become legal in certain countries outside of the United States. Please note that the Records Office does not provide the Apostille or Certification. You must obtain it from the California Secretary of State after you receive your notarized diploma. You may submit your copy of your diploma for notarization or request a new copy using the Additional Diploma/Certificate Request form. There is a charge of $10 for the notarized diploma. If you need to change your legal name-of-record before ordering a diploma, submit the Student Information Change Request form.

If you need further assistance or have questions, you may contact us at graduation@ggu.edu or 415-442-7278.

Golden Gate University has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to provide verification of our graduates' degrees and current students' enrollment information. Outside organizations or persons can obtain a verification using any major credit card. The requestors' credit card will only be charged if the degree can be verified.

CURRENT STUDENTS

Domestic students may obtain an enrollment verification certificate from the National Student Clearinghouse. (GGU4YOU login required.)

The transferability of credits earned at Golden Gate University is at the discretion of the receiving college, university, or other educational institution. Students considering transferring to any institution should not assume that credits earned in any program of study at Golden Gate University will be accepted by the receiving institution. Similarly, the ability of a degree, certificate, diploma, or other academic credential earned at Golden Gate University to satisfy an admission requirement of another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Accreditation does not guarantee credentials or credits earned at Golden Gate University will be accepted by or transferred to another institution. To minimize the risk of having to repeat coursework, students should contact the receiving institution in advance for evaluation and determination of transferability of credits and/or acceptability of degrees, diplomas, or certificates earned.