Texas Tech University is in compliance with Comprehensive Standard 3.4.11.

Texas Tech University complies with federal and state statutes with respect to security of student records. Operating Policy 01.04 (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP01.04.htm) describes the university’s compliance with the Texas Open Records Act and specifies that academic records are maintained by the Registrar, dean of the respective college, and chairperson of the department in which a student is enrolled.  Students have access to their own academic record as provided by law. Non-student access is restricted to certain individuals and organizations as specified in the Student Affairs Handbook , p. 8-10.  [(http://www.studentaffairs.ttu.edu/) click on the Student Affairs Handbook icon for a pdf format copy]  Access to student records other than as specified in the Student Affairs Handbook  must be approved by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel. 

The Student Affairs Handbook contains a section on student records that states “Policies and procedures concerning student records are based on respect for the privacy of the individual. To minimize the risk of improper disclosure, academic records are maintained separately from disciplinary records.”  [(http://www.studentaffairs.ttu.edu/) click on the Student Affairs Handbook icon for a pdf format copy. Quote is from p. 8]

Student academic records maintained in electronic form in the Office of the Registrar are password protected with access restricted to individuals such as academic  advisors and data entry personnel who require such access as part of their work assignment. The level of access is also controlled, with the highest level of restriction for those who have the ability to change a record (i.e., data entry personnel  and their supervisors), and lower levels of access for academic advisors, faculty, and administrators.

All student academic records are entered into the university main frame computer maintained by the office of Technology Operations and Systems Management (TOSM).  Any changes made to the data base during a day are saved that evening  and all data are backed up each weekend. Two copies of the database are created. One copy remains in the TOSM computer center and the other is stored in an off-site vault.