Dossier Recommendation / Wavier

REFEREES

Clients of the ASCP Dossier Service should understand that the following information relates to a very important segment in the process of establishing a dossier.

By following the instructions below, a client can avoid missing important deadlines and possibly losing an employment opportunity or acceptance into a graduate program.

RECOMMENDATION/WAIVER FORM INFO

[Form can be completed online and printed, but information cannot be saved.]

Client must complete, print, and sign all pertinent sections of an individual Recommendation/Waiver Form and, together with resume/cv and any other documents that would be beneficial to a potential referee [individual providing reference] in developing a thorough understanding of a client's present skills, personally approach targeted referee to ask for a recommendation, of which no more than eight should be held at any one time in the dossier.

[Remember: It is rude to drop a form in a professor's mailbox assuming that s/he will provide you with a recommendation. A letter of recommendation is a vote of confidence in you and your abilities that professors, supervisors, and others are under no obligation to provide. When an individual does agree to act as a referee, this courtesy should be countered with the appropriate respect in the form of your providing any necessary personal information, appropriate instructions, stamped envelopes, and always a thank you note/letter after you have been notified of inclusion in your dossier by our service.]

Client should directly ask prospective referee if s/he can provide a "good" or a "strong" recommendation. The intended use of the recommendation should be explained: "I am applying to graduate/law school," or "I am currently seeking full-time employment," or "I would like to be able to use this letter as a possible recommendation for both employment and graduate studies." By understanding the specific audience, the referee can focus the letter of recommendation to best help a client succeed in reaching an intended goal.

After a targeted individual agrees to act as a referee, s/he should be supplied with a copy of the Recommendation/Waiver Form, the additional documents deemed necessary, and the following information:

• Instructions to fully complete lower section of form, thus providing Service with contact information.
• Instructions to date letters, omit inside addresses, and use salutations such as "To Whom It May Concern:" or a page heading merely stating, "Reference for xxxx:"
• Instructions that all letters will be sent to ASCP Dossier Service but are NOT to be addressed to us, hence the generic salutations mentioned above.

AND, client should also instruct referees about the various number of typed copies that are to be directly returned with the form to the Dossier Administrators:

• Recommendations for employment searches can be copied--only one copy of text is needed
• Recommendations for graduate school applications must be originals--same number of signed letters as targeted applications will be needed.

Letters and forms are to be returned to:

A&S Careers Program Dossier Service
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Akron
CAS 125
Akron, OH 44325-1916

Meaning of Waiver Segment

When a client elects to keep a recommendation confidential, s/he waives the right of access to the recommendation, according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and its amendments, by checking the appropriate box on the form.

Waiving of rights prohibits the Service from allowing client to examine recommendation letters.

When a non-confidential file is mailed, it is clearly marked, “Non-Confidential.” It should be noted that non-confidential correspondence is considered less substantive than that which is covered by a waiver.

If s/he wishes, a client will be notified by email each time a new or replacement letter arrives for a file. [Client should note that an original letter will be destroyed upon receipt of a replacement.]

A client may, alternatively, provide the service with a self-addressed, stamped postcard containing the individual referee’s name, address, phone number/email address and the words Reference Inclusion Notification. This postcard will be returned to the client when the Service receives the referee's letter. A client should note a choice by checking the correct box on the form and/or providing the necessary postcard/s.