Reply from the University of Leeds below.



Mrs Carol Winning 

University Examinations and Progress Manager 

Examinations & Progress; Student Administration 

Student Services Centre 

The Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Building 

The University of Leeds 

Tel 0113 343 3983 

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-----Original Message-----

From: Renato Pallassini 

Sent: 09 November 2011 14:33

To: Carol Winning

Subject: RE: Student Status Letters



Hi Carol,



As far as Council Tax is concerned, we have an agreement with the local councils (Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and Kirklees) which prevents us from having to issue so many Council Tax Exemption certificates: twice a year for taught students and four times a year for research students (after the main intake periods), Ops (for taught) and RSA (for research) send each council an encrypted list of all registered full time students (with term time and/or permanent home addresses within the respective postcode areas) on a pen drive so, provided the students have claimed the exemption/discount, these councils will be able to check the information on the list. The Counter team then issue Council Tax Exemption Certificates only to those students who register after the lists have been sent, those who change their address after the lists have been sent or those who need the exemption for a different council. These are issued on request only (no automatic mail-out).



Similarly, letters of introduction to banking facilities are not issued as an automatic bulk mail-out but on request only (sometimes banks want their name on the letter anyway). This creates queues during the registration period but we are trying to assess the possibility of getting students to print their own letters in the future.



Both types of letter are issued on the spot to students visiting our Counter or posted to them if they request them online.



We also have a more generic registration confirmation certificate which again is issued on request only.



Requests coming from third parties (external organisations) are treated as verifications which can be purchased on our online store but obviously need to be accompanied by the student's signed consent. Verifications certificates are entirely electronic.



I hope this helps



Kind Regards



Renato



Dr. Renato Pallassini

Manager, Counter and Cash Services, 

Student Administration

Student Services Centre

University of Leeds

Leeds

LS2 9JT





___________________________________________________________

Hi Ron can you do a reply to this for me to fwd on please?



Carol 



-----Original Message-----

From: ARC Assessment Practitioners Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joanne Moles

Sent: 08 November 2011 16:27

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: Student Status Letters



Dear Colleagues,



I wonder if you can help?  I know that this is not an assessment related issue so would be grateful if you could forward to the relevant area for a response.



As you are probably aware, students need to prove that they are a student to various external organisations; currently our biggest letter production is in the following areas:



Council Tax Exemption -  We produce a certificate that is posted out to the student to enable the student to produce to their Council

Status Letters - posted to students so that they can use to open bank accounts etc.



We are looking at ways in which we can reduce our outgoing mail.  Can you advise what your institution does in the above instances, I am particularly interested in whether an electronic method is used in place of sending out letters to students.



I am happy to collate responses if you are interested, please indicate this in your response.



Many thanks







Joanne Moles

Examinations Officer

Academic Registry

Middlesex University

The Burroughs

Hendon

NW4 4BT



Tel: 0208 411 6757

Fax: 0208 411 6137



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