Press Release
Clearinghouse Launches Online Transcript Ordering Service
Enables Colleges to Outsource Transcript Order Processing at No Cost
HERNDON, VA, September 23, 2003 - The National Student Clearinghouse,
the nation's largest and most trusted source for post-secondary student degree
and enrollment verification, today announced that it is expanding its services
to include online transcript ordering. Like its degree and enrollment
verification services, the Clearinghouse will provide Web-based transcript
ordering to colleges and universities at no charge. The new service complies
with FERPA and federal privacy regulations as well as proposed Department of
Education rules that permit electronic signatures to be used to authorize the
release of college transcripts. More than 2,700 post-secondary institutions
representing 91% of the nation's enrollment participate in the Clearinghouse.
By utilizing the Clearinghouse's transcript ordering service,
institutions can enable their students and alumni to order official
transcripts via the Web at anytime, 24/7. All transcript ordering steps are
fully automated, speeding delivery of transcripts to requestors and
eliminating the cost and time involved in processing requests for
institutions.
When a request is received via the Clearinghouse's secure Web site, it is
validated to ensure that it meets the institution's requirements and
transmitted to the institution via EDI or XML. The institution then prints,
seals and mails the transcript to the specified recipients, or transmits it
via EDI to SPEEDE-enabled institutions. Requestors receive order updates by
email and can check order progress and order history on the Clearinghouse
Web site. The institution can view an audit trail of all requests at any
time.
The Clearinghouse's transcript ordering service supports electronic
signatures as outlined in the Department of Education's proposed FERPA
regulations, paving the way for paperless transcript requests. The
Clearinghouse already accepts electronic signatures as part of its Student
Self-Service program, enabling students at more than 100 participating
institutions to access their enrollment and loan history data via the Web.
"Transcript ordering is a logical extension of the services we offer
to colleges and universities, which are designed to reduce the
administrative burden and costs faced by busy registrar offices," said
Daniel R. Boehmer, president of the National Student Clearinghouse, "As
importantly, it offers collegiate institutions an opportunity to fulfill an
important service using an established and trusted partner; one that has a
10-year track record of successfully and securely maintaining and handling
tens of millions of student records."
The Clearinghouse will begin piloting the new transcript ordering service
with several institutions this fall. The service is scheduled for general
release in the first quarter of 2004. Colleges and universities that are
interested in participating in the Clearinghouse's transcript ordering
service should contact 703-742-4200.
About The National Student Clearinghouse
The National Student Clearinghouse is the largest enrollment and degree
verification service in the US. A non-profit organization established by the
higher education community in 1993, the Clearinghouse serves as a central
repository and single point of contact for the collection and timely
exchange of accurate, comprehensive enrollment, degree and certificate
records on behalf of participating institutions.
More than 2,700 colleges, representing 91% of the nation's enrollment,
participate in the Clearinghouse. Student loan providers, employers, student
credit issuers, student health insurance providers, the federal government
and others access the Clearinghouse's registry over 100 million times
annually to conduct electronic student record verifications.
For more information, visit www.studentclearinghouse.org.
National Student Clearinghouse Contact:
Kathleen Dugan
Marketing Director
703-742-4208
dugan@studentclearinghouse.org
