Requests for Information

 

University offices and employees receiving requests for information regarding Delta State University from individuals, agencies, or other sources outside of the University shall use these procedures in responding to such requests.

 

This policy has been designed to meet the following objectives:

·        To provide correct information to public agencies

·        To provide information to public agencies which reflects the official university position

·        To eliminate needless duplication

 

 

Factbook: an annual publication by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning that provides a ready source of information to answer questions frequently asked about Delta State University. It contains a statistical overview of operations for the academic year, including both past and present information, concerning enrollment, student characteristics, faculty characteristics, revenue, and expenditures.

 

 

Requests for information relating to Delta State University should be transmitted to the Office of Institutional Research. The Office of Institutional Research and Planning will assist those to whom requests have been made by utilizing information and staff resources to the full extent of availability. Responses to questionnaires and surveys that require the provision of data that has not been published and must be compiled will be coordinated through the Office of Institutional Research and Planning.

 

University employees should use the Factbook as a primary source of information for completing questionnaires and surveys before sending them to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning for review. This document is published each year and is mailed to all University directors and department heads.   

The Office of Institutional Research and Planning is responsible for coordinating the university’s response to questionnaires, survey forms, and other data requests, including reviewing completed responses to data requests for accuracy, appropriateness, and to ensure consistency with the official position of the University, determining whether the information is appropriate to release, and either transmitting the response or advising the recipient of the request on the appropriate response. 

 

The Office of Institutional Research and Planning will ensure that all reports are complete, employ appropriate statistics and graphics, and are clearly written in language understandable to decision-makers. 

 

The Office of University Relations is responsible for coordinating the University’s response to requests from the media, including reviewing the eligibility of the requester to receive such information, reviewing the requests to avoid the inadvertent release of confidential information, and either transmitting the response or advising the recipient of the request on the appropriate response. 

 

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for coordinating the University’s response to requests for student educational records, including reviewing the information to determine if it meets the definition of an educational record, notifying the affected students of such requests, reviewing any permission given by a student to release such information, and either transmitting the response or advising the recipient of the request on the appropriate response.

 

The Office of Human Resources is responsible for coordinating the University’s response to requests for employee records, including reviewing the information to determine if it is confidential, reviewing any permission given by an employee to release such information, and either transmitting the response or advising the recipient of the request on the appropriate response.