What Do You Do If You Lost Your College Diploma?
No one really thinks about it, but what would you do if you lost your college diploma? Chances are that you were moving offices or from your home and that one box with your college diploma was the one that got lost in the shuffle. Or even more tragic, perhaps you had a house fire that destroyed your belongings. No one really understands how hard the paper chase is to replace items like your college diploma until it really happens.
Thanks to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which was passed in 1974, student records are protected and kept private. What this means is that the student, and only the student, can look at their records. The student is the only one who can try to make changes to their records and can limit any information that is disclosed. In addition, this Privacy Act keeps colleges and universities from releasing any grades or transcript information to anyone other than the student. Only with written permission by the student can this information be released.
What this means for you, the college graduate who lost his or her diploma is this: Only you can request a copy of your diploma. Ok, that is probably a no-brainer. But did you know that each college or university is different? Of course, they have to follow FERPA in regards to the laws about disclosing information. However, there are usually fees involved in obtaining a copy of your college diploma and each school charges a different amount.
In addition, the paper chase to obtain a replacement copy of your diploma differs as well. Let’s look at Ohio University as an example. You have to get a notarized affidavit certifying the fact that you lost your diploma. Other colleges and universities may only require a formal written request by you.
Your best bet would be to contact your alma mater and find out what the process is to obtain a replacement copy of your diploma. Chances are they will tell you to submit a written letter with this particular information:
1. Reason for the request (and possibly a notarized affidavit)
2. Social Security Number and birth date
3. The name under which you attended the college or university
4. The graduation date and degree earned
5. A current mailing address
Because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only a written request is accepted when inquiring about a replacement diploma copy. No faxing, calling or emailing is recognized. This discourages most cases of potential fraud where someone else could obtain your information. When you submit your request, please note that it could take a long time to process, anywhere from four to ten weeks. In addition, there is always some type of fee involved as well. Some schools are as cheap as fifteen dollars and others can charge fifty dollars or more for the replacement service. There is one more thing to note when requesting your copy. The current administration of the college or university will be the ones signing your replacement diploma copy.
More Articles
|
