For Registrars and Admissions Officers
PRINCIPAL RECIPIENTS
To whom does ACADEM send transcripts?
Transcripts will, and by law must be sent to whomever the client requests. Upon
the receipt of a written request from the client, transcripts, either official
or unofficial are issued within a 48 hour period. The majority of the files
are sent to Personnel Offices of various institutions in the academic community
as well as in the private sector. The next largest group to receive files from
ACADEM is Graduate Admissions Officers.
ACCURACY
How can recipients of files from ACADEM be certain
the file includes all the schools attended by the client?
Upon requesting a file to be sent from our office, each client must sign a statement
attesting to the fact that the file held by ACADEM represents, at the time of
the request, all of the post-secondary schools attended and the entire coursework
undertaken at each institution.
How can recipients know that the file is a complete record? Who is responsible
for updating the file?
The client is required to update his/her file when additional coursework is
taken. The responsibility for updating the file is the responsibility of the
client. All transcripts are dated by the issuing institution representing the
last date coursework was undertaken.
How much time does it take for ACADEM to process an application?
Each transcript is processed as they are received by ACADEM. Once all the transcripts
listed in the client's application are received and have been screened for authenticity,
they are stored for future retrieval. The time frame for each application depends
upon the completion of the above procedures; most files are completed within
a 30 to 45 day period.
How does ACADEM store the transcripts?
Copies of the original transcripts are stored in two separate locations and
are used as back-ups to the originals. The original documents are always available
for comparison. Necessary personal data and the status of each client's file
are kept in a computerized data base.
PROCEDURES TO PROTECT AGAINST FRAUD
How is officiality maintained?
The documents held by ACADEM are received and screened for authenticity.
The transcripts ARE NOT INTERPRETED OR COLLATED. The legal status of the documents
remains unchanged. The client signs an agreement with ACADEM assigning ACADEM
as their legal agent (custodian of record) for storage and retrieval. ACADEM
will only process official transcripts bearing the official seal of the issuing
institution.
What securities does ACADEM offer?
The transcripts are stored in two locations. All copies can at any time be compared
to the original certified copy. The envelopes received from the parent institution
are also kept so that any question as to tampering can be investigated. All
copies of transcripts from ACADEM must likewise carry an embossed seal along
with a blue ink signature to be considered official.
Who has access to the ACADEM files?
Employees are required to sign confidentiality agreements and are bonded. The
employees of ACADEM are drawn from persons with experience in the academic community
and familiarity with procedures associated with Registrars' offices, and when
possible, specifically in the field of transcripts storage, screening, and retrieval.
In addition, no employee who is in the least way involved with the transcripts
may use the service. Their relatives are also excluded from the service.
Do clients have access to their files?
Clients are never allowed to see the originals or the copies of their own or
any other clients' files. Only non certified copies will be sent to them upon
written request. A superimposed image stating "unofficial" is stamped on each
of these transcripts. When receiving entities require clients to hand carry
transcripts or submit them with other application materials, the transcripts
must remain sealed and have a stamp (unofficial if seal is broken) on the flap
of the envelope.
Does ACADEM take files from a client directly?
All transcripts must show convincing evidence that it came directly from the
parent institution. If there is any suspicion that the document was available
to the client then ACADEM will investigate its authenticity.
How does ACADEM know whether a document is real or false?
Each document, when received by ACADEM, is screened by our staff. The envelope
is inspected. The postmark must show the correct city and date. There must be
only one postmark. There must be no sign of re-entry. All transcripts must be
consistent in appearance to others received from the same institution. The document
itself is inspected for visible alterations. If there is any doubt as to its
authenticity a follow-up call will be placed with the Registrar's office from
which it came to eliminate doubt. If doubt still exists ACADEM will inform the
client that it cannot accept the document.
BENEFITS TO REGISTRARS AND THEIR OFFICES
What does a transcript file look like from ACADEM?
The transcripts are exact copies of the originals held by ACADEM. They carry
the embossed seal and signature from ACADEM signifying their authenticity. All
pages received by ACADEM are sent out including all interpretive codes and explanations.
There is ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE in the documents. Safety paper will often show
the background with words such as "void" or "copy"; however, these documents
still retain their officiality. The greatest benefit is receiving all of the
transcripts in one single file organized and checked for fraud by ACADEM.
BENEFITS TO CLIENTS
Why do students need such a service?
All students do not need this service, only those who have transcripts from
several schools. Clients with as few as three schools and as many as eleven
schools may feel the need for centralization. Placement on salary schedules
for teachers requires a complete listing of coursework and the elimination of
a single unit could mean a reduction in pay. The time required in communicating
with the various schools is done only once and then merely updated as more coursework
is undertaken. Personnel offices and graduate admissions officers will be faced
with fewer incomplete files waiting for official documents. Files need not be
left open for 2 weeks to several months while processing an application. This
service was established to meet these needs.
