Records Maintenance and Release of Information

The Office of Student Citizenship maintains student discipline records for the Institute.  Student discipline records are private.  In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and MIT's policy on the privacy of student records, student discipline records are typically released only with the written permission of the student, unless otherwise required or authorized by law.

Dean's Certification
Often, students request a Dean's Certification from MIT commenting on their behavior or disciplinary record at MIT as part of an application for graduate or professional school, employment, or for another purpose.  All such forms should be directed to OSC.  Many institutions (e.g., employers, graduate schools) have a form they would like you to use; our office accepts such forms. Please bring them to W20-507 or send them electronically to citizenship@mit.edu.  We will require a signed authorization from you before releasing any information.  Please allow three days for processing.

Records Release Practice

In most cases, if a student authorizes the release of their discipline record to a third party, the Office of Student Citizenship will send a one page letter summarizing any situations in which the student was found responsible for violating policy.  Information is generally not released if the student was not found responsible for violaitng a policy.  The information communicated in the letter is governed by the specific authorization, but released information typically includes the date of the incident, the violations for which the student was found responsible, sanctions assigned, and the completion status of those assignments.

If you are considering authorizing a release of your discipline records, we encourage you to contact us.  We can review the details of what, if any, information we will release from your specific record.  Please note that we will require a written authorization from you before releasing your records; we have a

release form

release form

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Records Maintenance and Destruction Practice

• In general, all discipline records are maintained by the Institute for eight years from the date of incident.  Their release to people outside MIT will be governed by the Records Release Practice described above, but they will be maintained for the eight-year period to verify aggregate data published annually in MIT's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report as required by a federal law known as the Clery Act. 
• Cases resulting in suspension, expulsion, degree revocation, and other serious sanctions are generally maintained permanently.
• If a student leaves the Institute without resolving a case or completing the assignments, it will be maintained until the student returns.  The student must resolve the case before returning to the Institute.