Over six million students nationwide have been impacted by transcript withholding, an unfair practice universities participate in by denying students access to their own academic transcripts due to unpaid balances to the school - some as small as $25!

Many jobs ask students to present their academic transcripts as a part of their application process. By withholding transcripts, colleges and universities create an unnecessary and unjust barrier to job attainment. Current students, graduates, and those who did not complete their degrees need these jobs to survive, let alone pay off their balances with their schools.

This is why An Act Ensuring Students' Access to Academic Transcripts (H.4552/S.2746) is so necessary! The passage of this legislation would not prevent colleges and universities in the Commonwealth from collecting debts they are legally owed.

The legislation would simply ensure access to academic transcripts to protect anyone seeking employment from the arbitrary withholding of their transcripts.