Besides exploring new ways to speed up the process and validity of providing transcripts, the registrar’s office has another movement afoot—including documented behavioral issues on those official academic documents.
Where it’s happening
Recent state laws in New York and Virginia have already mandated that colleges and universities include notations about behavioral issues or code of conduct violations on students’ official transcripts, and more states may follow as institutions face increasing public accountability.
LINK TO MAIN ARTICLE: College transcripts transformed
“Disciplinary notations on transcripts is a big topic among registrars right now,” says Helen Garrett, registrar and chief officer for enrollment information services at the University of Washington in Seattle.
What to consider
A recent AACRAO Disciplinary Annotations Task Force produced a set of recommendations for institutions to consider when determining whether to include such notations on student transcripts (in states where the practice is not mandatory). The group’s document (see UBmag.me/transcript) also provides recommendations for determining which types of behavior to include, and suggested wording.
Nancy Mann Jackson is an Alabama-based writer who frequently contributes to UB.
