Transcript Policies

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Transcript Details and Policy Information

The following information is designed to be a succinct guide to transcript policies in the SUNY Cortland Registrar's Office.  Please refer to the Student Conduct Policy, IR's Acceptable Use Policies, the Catalog and the College Handbook for additional official policy information.

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Semester Transcript Fee

All enrolled students (undergraduate and graduate) as of Fall 2008 are charged a $5 per semester transcript fee. Any student enrolled at SUNY Cortland prior to Fall 2008 are “grandfathered” as a former student, and receive unlimited official transcripts as a lifetime service. 

Optional and Additional Services

In addition to standard services, the Registrar's Office makes additional, optional services available.  This includes online enhanced ordering, and expedited shipping.  

Expedited Transcript Shipping

SUNY Cortland has retained Credentials Inc. to accept expedited transcript orders over the Internet. Expedited transcripts are sent via FedEx.  Students may request a transcript online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using the enhanced online ordering service TranscriptsPlus. SUNY Cortland does not accept airbills directly for expedited shipping.

Students and alumni wishing to send transcripts using a different shipping service, are also permitted to order and pickup transcripts in the office, so you may ship or deliver using your preferred method.  Your transcript will be provided in an official sealed envelope that must remain sealed when shipping or delivering. In the Cortland area, the following additional shipping outlets are available.  You may pick up transcripts personally and use these services.

Electronic, Faxed or Emailed Transcripts

SUNY Cortland does not provide electronic, faxed or email transcripts at this time. We cannot provide you with transcripts in electronic or faxed form, official or unofficial. You may access unofficial electronic transcripts via myRedDragon.

Unofficial Transcripts

The Registrar's Office will only produce and send official transcripts. We do not issue unofficial transcripts to students or agencies.  We do, however, permit you to access and print your own unofficial transcripts via myRedDragon. Students have 24/7 access to unofficial transcripts, online account records, and degree audits via the myRedDragon account.  Students who graduated prior to 2000, will not have access to unofficial transcripts via myRedDragon - please request an official transcript using one of the options above.

Other Records and Scores

The Registrar's Office cannot provide copies of records from other institutions for official use outside of the College. For example, we cannot provide you, an employer, or another agency (except where we are required by law or legal order) with a transcript or record from another college that you may have submitted to us. Please request official documents directly from their source. Generally employers, academic institutions and agencies will only accept original, official documents from the source.

Grading Key

You may review our Transcript Grade Explanation Document / Key (PDF) for information about grades, transcript notations and other document features.

Security Paper and Watermarks

SUNY Cortland uses secure transcript paper where a watermark appears when the transcript is copied or exposed to photographic equipment.  This is is to ensure Cortland transcripts are recognized as official, and  the paper is designed to help the College curb counterfeit transcripts.  If a recipient uses OCR, imaging machines, photographic equipment, or other copying equipment which is not certified secure transcript paper, the College cannot be responsible for any quality or legibility concerns that may result.  Most institutions, Admissions Councils and accrediting agencies utilize anti-counterfeit techniques and recognize watermarked paper.  

Transcript Notations

The following explanations are included to provide students with a succinct guide to notation policies, and may not be exhaustive. This information shall not supersede or override any official Student Conduct policy. 

General Academic Notations

Undergraduate Research
A notation in recognition of a student's involvement in undergraduate research may be placed on the transcript when the Registrar's Office is directed to the Undergraduate Research Council.

Paper and Thesis Notations
When directed by the academic department, the Registrar's Office will include the title of undergraduate and graduate thesis papers or capstone projects as a transcript notation in recognition of completion.

Mandated Education Workshops
Workshops will be included on the academic transcript as either a transcript notation (prior to Fall 2014), or as the official course taken (starting Fall 2014).

Disciplinary or Legal Notations

Academic Integrity Notations

In cases the SUNY Cortland Academic Grievance Tribunal (or provost) suspends or dismisses a student due to an academic integrity violation, a notation that the student has violated the policy on academic dishonesty will be placed on the transcript.  After one year year has elapsed, a student may appeal to the provost to have the notation removed.

Non-Academic, Legal and Behavioral Notations

Providing Transcripts When Disciplinary Holds are Present
The SUNY Cortland Registrar's Office must seek the explicit permission of the Student Conduct Office or the Vice President for Student Affairs for each transcript request, in order to release transcripts where a disciplinary hold is present. There are no exceptions to this policy. Questions regarding disciplinary notations may be made to the Student Conduct Office. Transcripts cannot be sent directly to students when a disciplinary action is pending. 

Disciplinary Dismissal
When a student has been dismissed for behavioral reasons, upon notification by the Vice President for Student Affairs, the College Registrar will place the notation "dismissed after a finding of responsibility for a Code of Conduct violation" on the academic transcript. This notation will remain on the academic transcript permanently.

Disciplinary Suspension
When a student has been suspended for behavioral reasons, upon notification by the Vice President for Student Affairs, the College Registrar will place the notation "suspended after a finding of responsibility for a Code of Conduct violation" on the academic transcript. For suspensions related to crimes of violence, hazing or other serious violations, the notation will permanently remain on the transcript. For others, the notation will remain on the academic transcript at least for the period of suspension plus one year. At that time, the student may petition to have the notation removed. The Vice President for Student Affairs may have the notation restored if the individual becomes involved in any disciplinary incident on campus or in any criminal action in connection with the College.

Disciplinary Action Pending
For alleged policy violations, the Director of Student Conduct can place a Banner Hold on students who withdraw or leave SUNY Cortland prior to disposition of the alleged violation. A notation of “withdrew, with conduct charges pending” will appear on the academic transcript. At the request of the student, arrangements can be made to dispose of the violations during his or her separation. If not, appropriate action will be taken upon the student’s return to SUNY Cortland. The notation will remain on the transcript until appropriate disposition of the violation has been made.

If a finding of responsibility is vacated, for any reason, any such above transcript notation shall be removed when the Registrar's Office is directed to do so by the Student Conduct Office or Vice President for Student Affairs.

Holds and Obligations

The Registrar's Office is not authorized to release transcripts to students or third parties where financial obligations or transcript holds are present.  The following explanations are included to provide students with a guide to hold and obligation policies, and may not be exhaustive. This information shall not supersede or override any official policy. Please refer to the Student Conduct Policy, IR's Acceptable Use Policies, the Catalog and the College Handbook for additional official policy information.

Transcript Holds for Disciplinary Obligations or Pending Action

If any conduct hold, including pending disciplinary action is present on the record, the record may not be released unless the Student Conduct Office provides explicit permission. Student should contact the Student Conduct Office with any questions.

Financial Obligations and Holds

Under SUNY policy, and in accord with Section 302.1 (m) of Title 8 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations of the State of New York, the Registrar's Office is not permitted to release transcripts to any student who has outstanding financial obligations to the College, regardless of the amount or age of the assessment.

"Except where otherwise authorized, no person shall receive credit or other official recognition for work completed satisfactorily, or be allowed to re-register, until all tuition, fees, and all other charges authorized by the University have been paid, or University student loan obligations have been satisfied."

Holds may be present when a student has any unresolved financial obligations to the College.  This category includes a variety of obligations, including but not limited to: tuition/fee payments, student loan obligations, parking/vehicle fines, library fines, or rental fees.  Any reported outstanding financial obligation will result in a transcript hold.

Transcripts Requests & Your Privacy

Student transcripts are considered to be an official and essential student record.  The SUNY Cortland transcript will include a complete record of your academic history at SUNY Cortland (including disciplinary and academic notations), and may also include academic history from prior colleges, such as transferred courses.  In order to be a probative record for the receiver, transcripts may include other forms of personally identifiable information (as defined by SUNY Cortland in accord with FERPA). 

Authentication of Identity

Given the importance of the transcript, and the importance of safeguarding student data, a transcript can only be released when properly and authentically authorized by the student, and when we there is  a clear indication that the student is permitting the sharing of transcript information with a third party.  Cortland is obligated to use means that may ensure that the recipient of education records or the person who requests records is the authorized or intended recipient or sender according to federal law (99.31c Identification and authentication of identity).

In order to restrict unauthorized or third party access to non-directory student data, authentication standards at SUNY Cortland comply with FERPA requirements to provide for "authentication of identity” and the best practices established by the U.S. Department of Education for safeguarding student information.  Accordingly, any third party we work with must also meet these standards under the provisions of FERPA.  

Third Party Processes, Requests and Forms

Please note that the Registrar's Office will not release transcripts to third parties (including other Colleges and Universities) using a third party form or process except where it has been pre-approved by contract or agreement or where it is provided for under federal law (example: U.S. Government agencies).  The student must provide a signed SUNY Cortland transcript request to have a request sent to a third party.

Obtaining a Transcript

Transcripts can be obtained using the following methods:

  • Providing a written request with a signature and identifying information via the Official Transcript Request.  This may be provided via the U.S. Mail, secure fax, or in person.

  • Providing a written letter to the Registrar's Office -- provided it includes a signature, and the same required detail present on the Official Transcript request.  This may be provided via the U.S. Mail, secure fax, or in person.

  • Using the enhanced online ordering process which uses multi-factor authentication and/or a signed release from you. SUNY Cortland has contracted with Credentials Solutions to accept and authenticate transcript requests.

If you have any questions about these requirements, please contact the Registrar's Office for more information, or to receive assistance.

The Common Application for Transfer

Beginning in Fall 2013, the Common Application began requesting Registrar’s Recommendations  (a Transfer Registrar Report) from students applying via the Common Application. Unfortunately, SUNY Cortland does not currently participate in the online recommendation process. If you are completing the Common Application, you must submit the Common Application's paper Transfer Registrar Report to our office.  For FERPA compliance, you must provide a signed transcript request, with your Common Application request(s). Please note that the transcript is the official record for the College. SUNY Cortland is unable respond to the optional inquires on the request due to College policy and data availability.

Attachments Provided by the Student

SUNY Cortland will only include attachments required for routing or for identification of the document to the receiver, employers or admissions offices.  Additional miscellaneous documents will not be included.  Examples of documents we may include: PHARMCAS, AMCAS or LSAC cover letters, cover letters provided by admissions offices, bar code sheets for routing, GSA cover letters or employer cover letters designed to facilitate routing.  We will not include: attorney's records/letters, doctor's records/letters, recommendation letters,  letters developed by the student or other items that are not used to facilitate the delivery or identification of the document to the receiver.  If documents are provided with any transcript request (including online requests) that do not meet the criteria for allowed attachments, they will not be included and will be confidentially shredded in accord with NYS retention/destruction standards.