Suffolk Law Student Handbook

COMMUNICATIONS WITH LAW STUDENTS’ RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND OTHER

THIRD-PARTIES

In a professional school setting, it is rarely appropriate for school administrators and members of

the faculty to communicate with an adult student’s relatives, friends or other third-parties about

matters pertaining to that student. Thus, the following policy applies to such communications:

Except in the particular circumstances described below, administrators and members of the

faculty of the law school will not communicate or meet with relatives or friends of a law student,

or other third-parties regarding matters relating to the student’s enrollment in the law school

including, but not limited to, performance in class, grades, academic standing, registration,

disability accommodations (or requests for accommodations), financial aid, disciplinary matters,

attendance and use of student services.

Exceptions to the above policy include:

•

Communications or advocacy by third-parties specified by other law school policies or

procedures (for example, when a student is using an advisor in accordance with the

Student Disciplinary Procedure). In such cases, the third-party communications will be

limited to what is specifically permitted under the other policy or procedure.

•

Third-party communications regarding financial information, provided that the student

submits an Authorization to Release Financial Aid Information form to the Financial Aid

Office.

•

Situations where a student is unable, due to significant illness or injury, to timely

communicate important information such as the ability to sit for an exam as scheduled.

In such cases, the appropriate law school administrator will accept information from the

third-party, but will not share information with the third-party (unless the communication

is permissible under applicable privacy laws). Also, in such cases, the student will be

expected to resume direct communications with the law school as soon as he/she is able

to reasonably do so.

•

Extraordinary situations as determined at the discretion of the Dean, the dean’s designee,

and/or the Dean of Students. In any such situation, the student must adequately waive any

privacy rights under applicable laws or the communication must be permitted without

waiver under applicable privacy laws.

•

Situations where communication with a third-party is deemed appropriate by University

Legal Counsel.

Exclusions to the above policy:

This policy does not apply to situations in which

a student requests, in writing, that the Law School provide information related to

potential employers, bar authorities, scholarship providers, other schools (for the purpose

of transfer) or professional organizations;

a student requests, in writing, a letter of good standing, recommendation, enrollment

confirmation, student practice confirmation or transcript be sent to a third party;

communications occur between and among law school and university personnel with

legitimate educational interests; and/or