3/24 email
Dear Colleagues,
I hope this email finds you well and that you and your families are holding up during this difficult time. I write today to share some things we have been working on to help serve you and our students better electronically.
As you know, to comply with FERPA, a staff member must authenticate the person they are communicating with is, in fact, the student or former student. Please see and share the attached document for guidance on how this can be done over the phone.
To ensure they are informed of the potential financial aid and academic consequences of repeating a previously-passed course, students must now be given electronic permission to enroll for any course previously completed with a grade of D or higher. To facilitate this process, we have launched a Microsoft 365 form for advisors, chairs, and department designees to use in order to send their repeat course approvals to the Office of the Registrar, who will be responsible for processing the course enrollments for the students.
You can access the form at the link below, using your CUNYfirst login and password (firstname.lastname##@login.cuny.edu and password). Permission to Repeat a Previously Passed Course
We've also created a Registrar Request Form for use in addressing other requests that must be processed directly by our office, such as semester credit overload requests, time conflict overrides, and permission to take additional courses during the Summer and Winter sessions.
You can access the Registrar Request Form at the link below, also by using your CUNYfirst login and password. Registrar Request Form
Please contact Deputy Registrar, Kara Bisceglie with any questions you may have regarding these new processes/forms.
Be well, Kerri
Kerri Gerson Registrar College of Staten Island, City University of New York 2800 Victory Blvd., Suite 2A-110F Staten Island, NY 10314 718-982-2123; kerri.gerson@csi.cuny.edu (voicemails are currently forwarded to email) www.csi.cuny.edu/registrar
Attachment:
Authenticating a Student’s Identity To comply with FERPA, a staff member must authenticate the person they are communicating with is, in fact, the student or former student. Note: If a student has signed and submitted a “Consent to Release of Educational Records”, information may be released to that designated party. However, please check the Transcript Text notes in CUNYfirst to verify what information can be released (academic only, financial only, all information, etc.) and with whom it can be shared (one parent, both parents, etc.). Important: If the student has a FERPA indicator on record (it looks like a closed shade in the upper right-hand corner of the screen), staff cannot release any information regarding the student.
Over the Phone Verification Process After determining what category of student you have on the phone, ask any three questions from the appropriate block below. If the caller answers three (3) questions correctly then information can be released. **Listen closely to see if someone is providing the student with answers: if you are asked multiple times to repeat the question, or if the student is repeating the question back a couple of times, proceed with caution. **Always remember that Non-Directory (confidential) information cannot be released over the phone. If the caller is unable to answer three (3) of the questions, do not release any information. Inform the student (caller) to visit the Registrar’s Office with approved photo ID. “When in doubt, don’t give it out”, seek the assistance of a supervisor. Note: Social Security Number cannot be asked by staff to authenticate an individual’s identity. Even if the student asks to use the Social Security Number as a way to verify identity, the answer must be no.
Questions for current students: 1. CUNYfirst ID 2. CUNYfirst email address on record 3. Current program of study (major) listed in CUNYfirst 4. Current mailing address 5. Permanent address 6. One (1) class the student is currently registered for at CSI
Questions for current students who do not know their CUNYfirst ID 1. CUNYfirst user name (ex. Jane.Smith20) 2. Current program of study (major) listed in CUNYfirst 3. Current mailing address 4. High school(s) attended 5. One (1) course completed while at CSI 6. One (1) class the student is currently registered for at CSI
Questions for former students: 1. CUNYfirst ID 2. Last mailing address on record 3. Last term or year of attendance 4. Program of study (major) listed in CUNYfirst 5. One (1) course completed while at CSI 6. High school(s) attended