Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Home

Administrative Policies

AP 1 State Telephone System and Cellular Telephone Sets

AP 2 Telecommunications Equipment (Voice)

AP 3 Smoking

AP 4 Safety and Health

AP 5 Risk Management Policy

AP 6 Parking Regulations

AP 7 Sign Posting Policy

AP 8 Chargeback of Physical Plant Services

AP 10 Building Keys

AP 11 Fleet Vehicles

AP 12 Records Hold Policy

AP 13 Dispensing of Hearing Aids

AP 14 Policy on Business Activities

AP 15 Dangerous Weapons on Campus

AP 16 Collection of Indirect (Overhead) Costs

AP 17 Distribution of Indirect (Overhead) Costs

AP 18 Seat Belt Use

AP 19 Use of University Facilities

AP 20 Athletic Camps and Clinics

AP 21 University-Foundation Relationships

AP 22 Employee Accident/Injury Procedures

AP 23 Naming of Rooms and Buildings on Campus

AP 24 Postal Policy

AP 25 Requirement for a Mandatory Residential Dining Plan

AP 26 Requirement for Mandatory Housing

AP 27 Records Management Program

AP 29 Bad Check Policy

AP 30 In-Line Skates and Skateboarding

AP 31 Computer Software Use

AP 32 Inclement Weather Practice

AP 33 International Student Tuition Remission Policy

AP 36 Information Security

AP 37 Conflict of Interest/Financial Disclosure Policy

AP 38 Health Insurance Requirement for International Students

AP 39 Reuse Policy for Replaced Computers

AP 40 Alcohol Beverages on Campus

AP 41 Computer Replacement Policy

AP 42 Outreach Residual Funds

AP 43 Summer Session and J-Term

AP 44 Use of Copyrighted Material

AP 45 Shared Radio Spectrum Management and Coordination

AP 46 Emeriti Status for Unclassified Staff (Faculty/Academic Staff)

AP 47 Honored Retiree Status for Classified Employees

AP 48 Application for Immigrant Visas

AP 49 Determination of Outreach Course

AP 50 Cellular Telephone Policy

AP 52 Access, Use, and Retention of Social Security Numbers

AP 53 Full-time Status with a Reduced Course Load

AP 54 Advertising, Sponsorship, and Promotion of Alcohol and/or Tobacco Products on Campus

AP55 Licensing of UWRF Registered Marks

 

University of Wisconsin-River Falls Administrative Policy Paper
Number: AP 12 Revised
Date Issued: November 2, 1998
Subject: Records Hold Policy

1.0 POLICY/PURPOSE:

This policy establishes guidelines for withholding students' registration, transcripts, and diplomas because of unsettled financial obligations to the University. Withholding of registration, transcripts or diplomas is never taken on behalf of any individual, concern or enterprise including other universities within the UW System, not directly associated with the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

These policies apply primarily to holds for financial delinquency. Deans' holds for disciplinary and academic action are not within the scope of this policy memorandum.

Policy Implications -

1.1 The withholding of registration, academic records, or diplomas is one of the most severe actions available to the University. It is second only to suspension in severity. It not only denies a student the opportunity to transfer to other schools but precludes use of a transcript for employment purposes. In some cases, great harm may occur to an individual if response to a request for a transcript is denied or delayed.
1.2 Students are entitled to adequate notification of debts and of their opportunity to receive a fair hearing if they feel the University's claim against them is erroneous or unjust.
1.3 Holds for property damage will be submitted by the department where damage has been done by a student, who has refused to make compensation, regardless of whether disciplinary action is also involved.

2.0 OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND:

2.1 Statutes
2.2 System Policies -
The authority to withhold registration, transcripts, and diplomas stems from action by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. The most recent instance of such authorization is recorded in the minutes of the July 20, 1970, meeting. At that meeting, the Regents approved the following recommendation for all campuses in the University of Wisconsin System:
"Upon written request from any University official involved, the Registrars of each campus are empowered to withhold degree certification, transcripts and academic record information, registration records, and/or permission to register in cases where a student has unpaid fines, has a delinquent loan account, has refused to return books or property of the University, has refused to replace or repair University property which the student has damaged, or is otherwise indebted to the University until the fines or indebtedness are paid or satisfactory arrangements for restitution has been made."
University of Wisconsin System Academic Fee Notes: "No student shall be issued a transcript (certified or not) until all accounts receivable have been paid. At the institution's option, this provision may be waived when the accounts receivable are less than $25.00."
2.3 Past Practice

3.0 UNIVERSITY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance

4.0 DEPARTMENT/UNIT RESPONSIBILITIES:

See offices listed under Summary of Holds.

5.0 PROCEDURE:

To provide for the implementation of the policy as outlined, the Chancellor has approved the following procedures for establishing record holds:

5.1 A record hold shall be placed on a student's record and registration for delinquent fees, tuition, or for any penalties related to registration and/or fee payment.
5.2 A record hold will not be applied for amounts under $5.00. (See Processing Record Holds, No.4.)
5.3 Record holds will be placed on the Student Data Base System either by terminal or by letter to the Registrar's Office if a terminal is not available. The office placing a hold must have evidence that reasonable efforts were made to notify the student of the indebtedness and collect the debt. Copies of bills, correspondence and notices advising the student that a record withholding action has taken place must be kept at the office placing the hold.
5.4 If a claim is disputed, the student must be offered an opportunity to appeal the case. Methods of resolution will vary among the various offices authorized to request withholding actions. However, as a minimum, they must provide ultimately for an interview with the head of the office involved and for written appeal to the Chancellor or the Chancellor's designee.
5.5 Departmental procedures must include provisions for periodic review of existing record holds to ensure that sound practices are followed in billing and collection efforts.
5.6 Information Systems component of Information Technology Services will distribute to all departments on a yearly basis a summary of their holds on the student data base. The list will be reviewed and information updated by the departments that placed the holds. Address labels to contact students may be ordered from ITS. If a hold for $100 or less has not been removed within five years from the student's last term of attendance at the University, the hold will automatically be deleted from the student data base. Information Technology Services will distribute to each department a list of the students holds to be deleted, but such holds may be extended if the department so desires.

Processing Records Holds - (The $5.00 minimum indebtedness required to place a hold is effective immediately. Other changes noted in this policy will become effective upon implementation of the New Student On-Line Data Base System.)

1. Each office will be responsible for placing holds and removing holds either by terminal or by letter to the Registrar's Office. The office placing holds will daily remove satisfied holds.
2. A hold message will be sent with the registration appointment form (RAF) and any other student mailing generated by Information Technology Services.
3. Students may view their hold information through the SOAR system. SOAR terminals are available at the Registrar's Office (105 North Hall) and Student Center Information Desk. The information on the SOAR system may also be accessed through the Internet. To access their information through the Internet, students will need an active A-Net account, student ID number (9 digits) and security number (4 digits). The hold information is displayed on screen 2 of the SOAR system.
4. Policies Governing the Release of Records and Registration. All hold categories other than those specifically enumerated below will be noted with specified dollar amounts.

The following limits apply:
1. If the total amount of holds due (indicated by dollar amounts) is under $15.00:
-Registration will NOT be prohibited,
-ONE transcript will be honored with a warning that all further requests will be denied,
-Diploma WILL be withheld, and
-Final grade reports will NOT be withheld.
2. If the total amount of holds due is $15.00 but less than $35.00:
-Registration will NOT be prohibited,
-Transcript WILL be withheld.,
-Diploma WILL be withheld, and
-Final grade reports will NOT be withheld.
3. If the total amount of holds due is $35.00 or more:
-Registration WILL be prohibited and such holds cannot be cleared by partial payments,
-Transcript WILL be withheld,
-Diploma WILL be withheld, and
-Final grade reports will NOT be withheld.

Removal of Holds as a Result of Bankruptcy - For bankruptcies filed on or after October 1, 1979, the offices will remove holds on records of students whose debts have been discharged in bankruptcy and proceed as described above, except that student loans are not dischargeable during a period of five years beginning when the loan is due, unless the debtor can prove undue hardship. If a student loan is involved, transcript and record service to include issuance of diplomas will be withheld unless there is a showing of undue hardship. Registration will be allowed if it can be demonstrated that fees and tuition will be paid on a cash basis.

Definitions -

1. Student - anyone for whom an academic record of any type is maintained.
2. Registration - processes of scheduling classes and paying academic fees.
3. Transcript - the academic record as well as any subsidiary or supplementary records that are derived from it. (Records, Academic Record, or Student Record are used synonymously.)
4. Diploma - The official document given upon the conferral of a degree.

SUMMARY OF HOLDS
OFFICE REASONS FOR HOLDS MINIMUM HOLD

1. Cashier's Office

a. Academic fees owed
b. Room and board fees owed
c. NSF checks for above items $25 (System Policy)

2. Textbook Library

a. Fines due to damage or late return
b. Non-return of textbook $5

3. Accounts Receivable

a. NDSL - no exit conference (Existing Federal Policy)
b. NDSL - defaulted loan
c. Academic fees - write off
d. Refunds of financial aid $5

4. Public Safety

a. Parking Fees $5

5. Main Desk Library

a. Non-return of books
b. NSF checks $5 + book cost

6. Reserve Desk

a. Non-return of materials $5

7. Student Center a. NSF checks $5

8. Alumni Office

a. Defaulted emergency loans $25

9. Bookstore a. NSF checks $5 + check

10. Registrar's Office

a. NSF checks for transcripts and graduation fees
b. Lack of required transcript from other school $6

11. Food Service

a. Fine payment for multiple use of meal $15

12. Other Departments

a. Indebtedness to the University
b. Return of University property
c. NSF checks $5

 

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