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The Credential
File
What is a Credential File?
A Credential File (sometimes called Placement File or
Reference File) is a file, maintained by Career & Advising Services, that
contains letters of recommendation from intern supervisors, cooperating
teachers, faculty, former employers, and other relevant references. At your
request, it can be copied and provided to potential employers or
graduate/professional schools.
Who may establish a file?
Persons who hold a degree conferred by Lewis-Clark State
College (LCSC), current LCSC students, and students pursuing Idaho teaching
certification through the LCSC Division of Education.
What does a file contain?
A. Candidate Information Form - Completed and updated by you,
this form provides us (and potential employers/graduate schools) with current
information about you and your references.
B. Recommendations - You are allowed up to five at any one
time. See How To Ask For a Reference and/or Letter of
Recommendation.
Note: Transcripts and resumes are not part of your Credential
File.
Why do I need a file?
Many employers (& virtually all school districts) require a
file containing current reference letters as part of the application process.
This is a convenient manner in which to submit letters without having to ask a
reference to write new recommendations for every application you make.
Where can I send my file?
Your file can be sent to any bona fide employer as part of the
employment application process and may also be used in applying for admission to
graduate school.
Registration Policy And Procedures
Procedure for Establishing a Credential File:
- Student completes registration process for CAS which
includes the following:
a. The student completes a Registration Card and selects either b, c, or d
as follows:
b. The student may select Reference Page (no formal credential file will be
established). This ensures that the student's information will be entered into
CAS current academic year's database and that the student's name and phone
number will be released to inquiring employers.
c. The student may select Formal Credential File and specify their
preference for an "OPEN" credential file on the Registration Card.
- Once a file is established as Open, it may not be
changed to Confidential.
- By choosing an Open file, a student has the right to
review all contents of their credential file while present in the Career & Advising Services Office or to request that a copy of the file be sent
to the student to keep in their possession.
d. The student may select Formal Credential File and
specify their preference for a "CONFIDENTIAL" credential file on the
Registration Card.
- Once a file is established as Confidential, it may not
be changed to Open.
- Once a student has selected a Confidential File, the
student has forfeited his/her right to know any information about the
contents or appearance of reference letters located in his/her file. CAS
staff will not provide any description of letter contents, nor should the
job candidate ask this information of employers reviewing their file.
e. In addition, the student must complete a
Candidate
Information Form. Click here for one you can complete and print out:
Microsoft Word or print out
and type:
Adobe PDF
(keep reading). If you are asked for a password, hit "Cancel".
Please note, you must either print out and send the form to
us or save and send as an attachment to an email. It will not be sent
automatically.
To get the Adobe Acrobat plug-in for your browser (so you
can read PDF documents), visit the following site:
http://www.adobe.com.
The form is also available on computer disk (PC or Mac). Contact CAS for a printed copy.
- Computer disk and one laser printed page - $1.00
- Additional laser printed pages - $.10/page
- Or, the student may choose to complete the Candidate
Information Form on a typewriter and may obtain the blank form from CAS.
This information will be entered into CAS current academic year's database
for recent graduates.
- Upon completion and submission of the above (#1) to CAS,
the student will be officially registered for all placement related services.
During this time, students who established a formal credential file may
request the appropriate recommendation forms ("OPEN" or "CONFIDENTIAL") to
provide their references. On-campus faculty have the option of completing
recommendation forms using a computer disk. Disks may be requested from CAS.
It is the responsibility of the student/alumni to provide their reference with
a stamped return envelop addressed to CAS to have their recommendation
forwarded to our office.
- A student graduates and transitions into alumni status (six
months post graduation). At this point the database information on the student
is copied onto computer disk and purged from the current database. Alumni may
request placement into a current database at any time.
Guidelines for Establishing Credential File and Using Request Service
- We suggest you begin the process early, preventing the
possibility that your file is not complete when you are ready to send a file
to an employer.
- You may choose to send a file prior to all references
arriving, however, CAS will not send individual letters to employers. If a
credential file is sent prior to completion, the student/alumni must request
the entire file be sent again to include the letters once they arrive.
- All requests for sending files MUST be made via a WRITTEN
or E-MAILED request. For purpose of confidentiality, NO PHONE REQUESTS WILL BE
ACCEPTED.
- Please allow two (2) working days to complete your sending
request. CAS processes credential files as they arrive. We are unable to hold
a request until a file is complete.
Credential File Fees
- Payment for the sending of credential files MUST accompany
Credential File WRITTEN or E-MAILED request unless pre-payment fee has been
applied to individual's account.
- Credit card payments are not available.
- Students and alumni wishing to establish formal credential
files will be subject to the fee structure below. All formal credential files
will be destroyed five years post graduation or five years post renewal of an
existing file. This ensures credential files are current and up-to-date.
RECENT LCSC GRADUATES
- Each new LCSC graduate is provided with five free files
to be used within six months post graduation. Once those are used, or
after six months expires (whichever comes first), sending files will cost
$5.00/file.
- U.S. FAX: $5.00. This fee is in addition to the $5.00 sending fee.
A faxed file, unless requested otherwise by the candidate, is ALWAYS
followed with a mailed file.
LCSC ALUMNI (six months post-graduation)
- $5.00/file sent.
- U.S. Fax : $5.00. This fee is in addition to the $5.00 sending fee.
A faxed file, unless requested otherwise by the candidate, is ALWAYS
followed with a mailed file.
NON-LCSC ALUMNI
- Not eligible for credential file service.
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Placement Bulletin
Career & Advising Services receives thousands of job listings
each year from local, regional and national employers. CAS publishes a daily
web-based bulletin of current openings in the areas of Education, Higher
Education, Business & Industry, and Social/Health/Science. The bulletin is
available at http://www.lcsc.edu/CASbulletin.
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Contact us at: Career & Advising Services
Lewis-Clark State College
Reid Centennial Hall, Room 110
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
Phone 208-792-2313
Fax 208-792-2298
Return to Career & Advising Services Homepage
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