CWU Career Services
400 E. University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7499
509/963-1921 Fax 509/963-1811
www.cwu.edu/career
career@cwu.edu
OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING
YOUR PLACEMENT FILE
In accordance with the Buckley Amendment to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Public Law 93-380),
eligible persons are given the option to establish a Placement File as either CONFIDENTIAL or NON-CONFIDENTIAL.
Central adheres to the Buckley Amendment and, upon request, will establish a Placement File as either confidential or
non-confidential, but not both. If you choose a CONFIDENTIAL FILE, you waive your right of access to your letters of
reference. If you choose a NON-CONFIDENTIAL file you may see the contents of the letters of reference. In either case,
the files are the property of Central Washington University.
In order to effect either option, you must sign the Declaration of OPTION/WAIVER and Consent Form printed on the back
side of this sheet. Consider the following in making your decision:
1. You, not Career Services, will determine who your reference writer(s) will be.
2. Whether you declare confidential or non-confidential, you will want to select people who will write fair reference letters
based on professional performance activity and not personal references from peers, minister, co-workers,
relatives, etc.
3. Regardless of which option you declare, you may wish to use the standardized reference forms provided by Career
Services. You must check, in the box on each form, that your file is confidential or non-confidential before you
distribute them to reference writers.
4. Regardless of which option you declare, you may change that declaration by signing a new option form. In the case
of a change of option, all previously collected letters of reference are destroyed or returned to the writers (you would
need to supply Career Services with current addresses). If returned to the writer, she/he has the following options:
If changing from confidential to non-confidential, a writer can (a) sign a slip agreeing to make the reference nonconfidential and return it to Career Services (b) write a new reference, or (c) withdraw the reference from your file.
If changing from non-confidential to confidential, a writer can (a) rewrite the reference, or (b) withdraw the
reference.
5. You may ask, upon written request, that reference letters, regardless of which option you declared be removed from
your file. However, you must, in your request, state whether you wish the reference letter(s) to be destroyed or saved
in your file for future consideration.
6. If you established a Placement File prior to January 1974 and still wish to maintain a confidential file, you may sign the
confidential declaration and continue to use your file as you have in the past. If, however, you now wish to declare
your file non-confidential, you will need to collect new non-confidential reference letters and we will, at your request,
destroy the previous references or return them to the writers (you must provide complete addresses). We simply
cannot change previously collected confidential references to non-confidential since the writers were informed they
would be kept confidential. We must honor the policy under which they were written.
7. All materials contained in the Placement File are the property of Central Washington University. Therefore, you have
no property rights to the file or other rights to the materials other than those covered by the Buckley Amendment.
8. If you wish to have a copy of a non-confidential reference you must ask the writer to provide you one. Career Services
will not make copies of letters in your file to give to you. Non-confidential letters may be reviewed at Career Services
office with a professional staff member. Confidential letters will not be reviewed. Staff can only tell you who wrote the
reference and the date it was written, they cannot give you any content information.
9. Candidates will not be allowed to “hand carry” copies of their Placement File to give to employers.
4/2012
OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING
YOUR PLACEMENT FILE
CWU Career Services
400 E. University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7499
509/963-1921 Fax 509/963-1811
www.cwu.edu/career
career@cwu.edu
CONSENT TO DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN MY PLACEMENT FILE

I understand that in order to change my declaration of option, I must do so in writing and all previously collected
letters of reference will be returned to the writers or destroyed.

I acknowledge that all materials contained within my Placement File are the property of Central Washington
University and that I have no property rights or other rights other than those covered by the Buckley Amendment.
DECLARATION OF OPTION / WAIVER
PLEASE INITIAL YOUR CHOICE
___ I wish to establish and/or maintain a CONFIDENTIAL Placement File and hereby waive my right of access to
confidential letter(s) of reference contained in my Placement File. This waiver, which I understand I am not
obligated to sign, can be revoked only in writing and only with respect to confidential letter(s) of reference placed
in my file subsequent to written revocation.
___ I wish to establish and/or maintain a NON-CONFIDENTIAL Placement File.
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS REQUIRED TO SET-UP YOUR PLACEMENT FILE
_____________________________________
NAME
DATE
__________________________________
SIGNATURE
_____________________________________
CWU ID#
___________________________________
E-MAIL
____________________________________
MAJOR
____________________________________
GRADUATION DATE (month & year)
____________________________________
MINOR (If applicable)
4/2012