Academic Records and Student Transcripts
The University maintains a record of a student's academic progress throughout his or her career at Western. This record provides information for academic counselling purposes and serves as the basis for producing grade reports and student transcripts. The following is a description of the kinds of information held by the University and the information that is provided on grade reports and transcripts.
Academic files
The Registrar's Office keeps an electronic file of all information relating to a student's academic progress. This includes a student's:
• basis of admission
• address
• some biographic information (e.g., date of birth) that is collected and reported for Statistics Canada
• for students admitted directly from secondary school, the record of the Grade 12 courses, as well as marks submitted in support of their application for admission
• registration history and status
• courses attempted and grades achieved
• Special Permissions granted
• all information relating to Advanced Standing and courses taken on Letters of Permission
• information on seals on academic records because of non-payment of fees, library fines, etc.
The academic file is a confidential internal document that is available only to individuals authorised to view the files. These include members of the Registrar's Office, Academic Counselling Offices and Dean's Offices, Department Chairs, Undergraduate Coordinators, and counselling assistants.
There are other electronic files/databases on students, including:
• scholarship/bursary data
• fee payment information
• the Alumni database which includes information on degrees attained as well as the address of parents.
In addition to these electronic records, the Academic Counselling Office of a student's Faculty may keep a file containing written documents relating to a student's academic progress. These may include:
• Special Permission forms
• Special Examination Forms
• medical documents
• correspondence
• notes of interviews that students may have had with Academic Counsellors.
These files are also confidential internal documents that are available only to the student's Dean and Academic Counselling Office.
A student who has been found guilty of a scholastic offence may also have an offence record that is kept separate from the academic file. (See section on Scholastic Offences.)
Grade Reports
Students are able to access their grades at the end of each academic term through their Student Center (student.uwo.ca). Courses attempted, the grades achieved, comments concerning a student's eligibility for a requested program, progression and graduation eligibility, and averages where appropriate, are reported to the student. This information is confidential and may only be accessed by entering their Western user ID and password.
Academic Transcripts
A transcript is a copy of a student's permanent academic record at this University, duly certified by the Registrar and bearing the seal of the University. A transcript is privileged information and is available only upon written request and payment of the fee in effect at the time by the student.
A transcript is required as one of the supporting documents for: applications to other universities and graduate schools; fellowship and scholarship applications; and is commonly required by prospective employers. The transcript is a record of a student's academic progress. It contains the following information:
1. A listing of all courses attempted and the grades achieved, including courses from which a student has withdrawn without academic penalty.
2. A statement of the degree attained, including the area of concentration or Honors discipline and date of graduation.
3. Comments relating to a student's academic progress. These may include statements about a student's standing in a program (e.g., on Dean's Honor List), or that the student was required to withdraw from the University or was placed on academic probation (e.g. for failing to meet progression requirements).
4. A listing of all undergraduate scholarships, awards, prizes, fellowships and medals awarded by the University to the student during the student’s academic career at the University. [Note: This information is only available from May 1, 2000.]
5. A listing of selected National and Provincial graduate scholarships awarded to the student during the student’s graduate career at the University. The listing of scholarships that are eligible to appear on transcripts is determined by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
[Note: This scholarship information is available only for graduate students from September 1, 2008.]
Note that a transcript reflects the current status of a student's record at the time it is issued. Students should ensure that any changes to the transcript (e.g., from an INC to a final grade) are recorded before ordering a transcript.
Students who have pursued more than one academic career (e.g., Graduate, Undergraduate, Professional, Education) at Western may request, in writing, a partial transcript. The partial transcript will display only those grades obtained during the specified academic career and will be identified as the transcript for that academic career (e.g., Graduate Transcript).
Transcript order forms are available from Student Central, RM 1120 Western Student Services building and on-line at www.registrar.uwo.ca. Official transcripts are mailed by the Registrar's Office to institutions designated by the student. The cost for transcripts can be found at http://www.registrar.uwo.ca/student_records/transcripts.html
* All transcript transactions in Student Central require valid identification.
Class Average, Class Size on Transcripts
Senate approved that the class (i.e., section) average be added to the transcript (assessing failures as 40), and, that for passing grades, the class size (i.e., section) be added to the transcript (including failures in enrollment). Undergraduate class averages and sizes are available on the transcript from September 1, 2000.
Areas of Concentration in Law (To be on Transcripts)
Areas of Concentration are available in Business Law, Criminal Law, Information and Technology Law, and Taxation. All Area of Concentration programs require a student to complete a research paper in the pertinent area. The Area of Concentration research paper must meet the criteria of the Faculty's writing requirement necessary for graduation, and may be used to fulfil that requirement. Students who complete an area of concentration within the JD program will have a notation, e.g., "Area of Concentration: Business Law,” included on their transcripts.
Students who fulfill the requirements of more than one Area of Concentration shall have a notation for all such successfully completed concentrations included on their transcripts.
Recording Students’ Names on Academic Records and Degree Diplomas
In order to maintain the integrity of the University’s student records, each student is required to provide either on application for admission or on personal data forms required for registration, his/her complete legal name. Any requests to change a student’s name by means of alteration, deletion, substitution or addition, must be accompanied by acceptable documentation except as described below.
Requests to Change Students’ Names on Academic Records
Students who wish to change their name used for official registration purposes are required to provide acceptable documentation (as outlined below) and photo identification reflecting the change.
In these cases, the following documentation is acceptable:
-
Marriage certificate
-
Notarized letter
- Passport
- Annulment certificate
- Driver’s license
- Death certificate of spouse
- Government-issued photo identification
- Joint declaration of conjugal relationship
- Divorce papers/Divorce order/Certificate of divorce/Decree Nisi
Requests to Change Students’ Names on Degree Diplomas and Transcripts
See “Convocation and Graduation Diplomas” www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/general/convocation.pdf
Academic Records and Student Transcripts SR.98-246
Grade Report S.02-061
Academic Transcripts SR.10-178
Class Average, Class Size SR.01-37
Areas of Concentration S.03-59
Recording Students' Name S.07-83
ACADEMIC INFORMATION 