Transcript/Diploma withholding & service indicator updates

Starting July 1, 2024, the University (systemwide) will no longer be withholding transcripts or diplomas for students who owe a balance to the institution. Academic Support Resources, along with the campus registrars, is reviewing service impacts and determining if any service indicators (“holds”) should continue to withhold transcripts (TRAN) or diplomas (DIPLM). 

Additionally, the Office of the Registrar will be working to release held diplomas and collect updated mailing address information from students as needed. 

New digital credential and print diploma vendor: Paradigm

Students with conferral dates of January 1, 2024 and after will receive their digital credential and physical diploma via Paradigm, the University’s new digital and print diploma vendor. The Office of the Registrar (OTR) submitted its first print diploma order with Paradigm this month. The first digital credentialing order will be placed on Monday, March 4. 

OTR began the RFP process for digital and print diploma services in late 2022. The RFP process was initiated due to the University's contract ending with their current digital diploma vendor, Parchment, and the desire to consolidate systemwide diploma services. Prior to the implementation of Paradigm, physical diplomas were produced by University Printing Services and manually distributed by OTR staff. Paradigm’s services will create several efficiencies in this process and provide additional benefits to students, such as providing tracking numbers to students when their diplomas are mailed. 

Students should not expect any disruption in diploma services (either print or digital) as a result of this change. Students with conferral dates prior to January 1, 2024 will continue to access their digital credentials via Parchment. Students have permanent access to their credential via their issuing vendor. Students will also have permanent access to their digital credential regardless of their future affiliation with the University.

As a reminder, digital credentials are not available to students with conferral dates prior to fall 2019. Any questions can be directed to otr@umn.edu. 

Completion of Parchment storefront upgrade

The University’s transcript vendor, Parchment, completed a storefront upgrade on March 21, 2023. This upgrade improved Parchment's interface, making it easier for users to order transcripts and duplicate diplomas. Single sign-on with internet ID and password continues to work, but anyone who created a Parchment account prior to March 21, 2023 will need to create a new account when they log in for the first time after the upgrade.

International diplomas

Students sending diplomas to international addresses should be advised to update both their diploma address and their preferred phone number. All international diplomas are sent via FedEx and no longer require student payment. This change was made after the implementation of the Academic Records Fee. More diploma information can be found on the One Stop website.

Diplomas and transcripts for end of term

The Office of the Registrar has continued to produce digital diplomas on their weekly production schedule, but paper diploma production has been delayed due to the State of Minnesota stay at home order.

The Office of the Registrar will resume paper diploma production starting the week of May 4, which will capture the backlog of paper and duplicate diplomas for degrees awarded from March 23 through April 28. Diplomas will continue to be ordered on a weekly schedule, and students can expect to receive them within 2-3 weeks of their degree being posted. Duplicate diploma ordering will be available in Parchment starting on May 15.

Students with a spring 2020 (1203) expected graduation term, and who have a degree checkout status set to “applied,” were sent the “Confirm diploma name/address” email on Wednesday, April 29. Students will also receive email communications when their degree is posted (last chance to update name/address), the diploma is ordered, and the diploma is mailed. FedEx diploma delivery requests must be received by the conferral date, May 13, in order to guarantee the student’s request. Pick-up requests are not available.

The Office of the Registrar will also resume paper transcript processing, and this option will be available in Parchment starting May 15.