Students planning to enter careers in the field of education or those seeking admission to graduate or professional programs may establish confidential credential files with the Office of Career Services.

Establishing A Confidential Credential File

To establish a confidential credential file, a Confidential Information Waiver and File Release Authorization Form must be completed and in our possession before any credential material can be mailed. You may download these forms and mail them to the Office of Career Services or visit us at 241 Hoyt Hall.

Items Included In A Credential File

For Currently Enrolled Seniors:

• Final Performance of Student Teaching Evaluation from your cooperating teacher(s), if you are seeking a teaching position. This evaluation is forwarded to the Office of Career Services from the Department of Teacher Education upon completion of your student teaching assignment.
• A maximum of four recommendations from professors, administrators, previous employers, your university supervisor, and the like. If more than four letters accumulate in your file, you must indicate which four letters to include when you request your file to be sent. If a choice of letters is not made, the credentials secretary will select and send the four recommendations most recently added to your file.

For Graduate Students and Alumni:

• A maximum of six recommendations from previous employers, professors, administrators and the like. If more than six letters accumulate in your file, you must indicate which six letters to include when you request your file to be sent. If a choice of letters is not made the credentials secretary will select and send the six recommendations most recently added to your file.

Items Not Included In A Credential File

• Academic transcripts, resumes, teaching certificates, test scores, vitae or any such items other than those mentioned above may not be included in your credential file. Transcripts are provided exclusively by the Registrar's Office, 112 Campus Avenue Building (CAB).
• Likewise, credential files should not contain redundant references from the same author(s). For example, general letters of recommendation should not be submitted from the same individual(s) preparing your student teaching performance evaluation. Formal evaluations normally take precedence over general letters of recommendation, as they are considered more official in nature.

Procedures For Utilizing Your Credential File

Your credential file will be sent either upon your written request or at the request of the employer to which you have applied. Federal law requires that credential file requests be made in writing; thus, telephone requests cannot be accepted. Candidates requesting the mailing of their credential file will be assessed a fee of $3.00 per file set to cover preparation and postage costs. This fee should accompany your request. Credential fees may not be charged to your Bursar account.

The Office of Career Services reserves the right to forward official credential files directly to prospective employers or graduate/professional schools only.

When requesting that your credential file be mailed, it is important that your written request contains the following information:

• full name (including maiden and any additional names your file may be listed under)
• date(s) of your graduation from Miami University
• your daytime phone number
• complete mailing address of the graduate school/school system to which your file is being sent

To ensure the accuracy of address information, requests should be neatly printed or typewritten. Files will be mailed within two working days after the Office of Career Services receives your request. You should be certain that the employer is expecting to receive your credential file. Mass mailings of an unsolicited nature are not advised.

Before requesting that your credential file be sent, please contact the Office of Career Services to be sure your file is complete and contains all necessary and desired recommendations and/or student teaching performance evaluations.

Career Services Retention Policy

The Office of Career Services will retain all "active" confidential credential files indefinitely. However, "inactive" confidential credential files, including student teaching evaluations, will be properly disposed. An "active" file will become "inactive" when an individual does not use his/her file within a six-year period. If your file should become "inactive," it will be necessary for you to start a new file by completing the appropriate forms and requesting new letters of reference.

Updating Confidential Credential Files

You may update your credential file by having references submit new letters of recommendation to the Office of Career Services. You are encouraged to provide your references with a photocopy of the Recommendation Instructions. You may download these instructions or obtain them from the Office of Career Services at 241 Hoyt Hall.

Please contact the Office of Career Services credentials secretary at (513) 529-3834 for further information on credential files.