College Transcript Nightmare (Rescue Me!!!!)

Hello,

I recently requested two copies of my undergraduate college transcripts. When I received the documents, I immediately noticed there were some errors. First, the address that was listed as the place I lived during the four years I attended college was incorrect. Second, the GPA was wrong. I contacted the Registrar's office with my concerns (and questions) and was told that I would have to contact the professors who taught the classes that had the wrong grades. I responded to this by stating that some of the professors were dead et cetera, and would it not be easier for the Registrar's office to simply check their records? I thought this would solve the problem--surely it was a clerical error? The Registrar's office told me they could check the microfilm that contained the gradesheets. I waited with excitement to hear from the Registrar's personnel about the microfilm, only to be told that the microfilm containing my records was nowhere to be found. In fact, it seemed that out of 133+ hours of undergraduate coursework, only one gradesheet that represented a 3-hour Sociology class was in the records.

I listened to this and was further told that if I wanted to determine the grades, I would have to fill out a "Grade Appeal" form. Initially, no one in the Registrar's office seemed to think it was strange that my undergraduate record was missing. I persisted a bit more, and I was directed to an Associate Registrar. This person took down my information, and said that she would "research" it further and get back with me. Today I received an email from that Associate Registrar wherein she stated she had "researched" and could find no errors in my transcript. She further stated that she had spoken to one of the professors, and the professor "verified" the lower grade that inexplicably had appeared on my transcript. I sent back a pithy reply asking for an audit of my undergraduate academic record, and I also inquired about the missing microfilm--had it suddenly appeared?--and as to the "professor" she spoke to--did he havethe original gradesheet in his possession and did he provide it to the Registrar's office?

I know that perhaps to some this sounds like some collegiate conspiracy theory, but I assure you, the records were altered. Why? By whom? I have no idea. Perhaps my status as a divergent, visionary thinker has something to do with it. Maybe I offended someone by certain questions I asked back then--1991-1996--and this is some sort of administrative form of retribution. Yeah, she earned a degree, but we can change her GPA.

And, to answer your questions about my own records--all of my semester grade mailers are packed up somewhere and if I could actually put my hands on the boxes they're in, I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for them.

Please help. Surely there is something that can be done to resolve this situation wherein accountability falls on the Registrar's office, and I do not have to produce my semester grade mailers (reprot cards).

What should I do next? Thank you for any help you are able to provide with this dilemma.

[annjd]

You will need some kind of proof of the former GPA and records but if you can back up these claims they will settle and if need be you could even seek costs and damages in court. But you will have to have some proof.

Administrative retribution seems a bit far-fetched. The court may think you just do not recall correctly...get that proof--witnesses, records etc.

Thank you. I am working on it. And just for the record, I am only interested in getting the errors fixed; really, I do not care about anything else. An apology would be nice...or even, if someone would just step up and say, "Hey, we messed up and we're going to fix this!"--that would be nice. Thank you again.

Eirene Hermione

my suggestion, not a legal one, would be to try to get a copy from another source that may have the correct information. I mean, if your employer requested a copy when you were hired or if you applied to another school. They may have a copy and you can present that to school for correction. If that doesnt work try contacting the school's accrediting body. You find out who the accrediting agency is by looking in the school's catalog or on their web page. Once you know the agency, contact them and find out what your next step should be. Schools are required to keep records for a certain amount of time (not indefinately) to keep in compliance with the accrediting agency.