PROFESSIONAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

The Career Services Offices of Mercer University abide by the Principles for Professional Conduct set forth by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), http://www.naceweb.org/ principles, including EEO compliance, information disclosure, and U.S. immigration laws, and by the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, http://www.counseling.org/Resources/CodeOfEthics/TP/Home/CT2.aspx.  Collection and use of data by Career Services is governed by The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), http://www.law.mercer.edu/academics/handouts/FERPA%20Act.pdf.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Students and alumni who use the services provided by the Office of Career Services can expect that all information entrusted with the staff will be handled within all current legal and ethical guidelines stated above and will serve the best interests of the client.

Career advising conducted on-line via the Internet cannot be guaranteed to remain confidential. While we will do our best to keep messages private, we cannot guarantee that the contents of e-mail or Instant Messages (IMs) will remain confidential. We recommend that students and alumni check the privacy statement of your e-mail provider.

While using the Office of Career Services website, students and alumni may encounter links to web pages of organizations not directly affiliated with Career Services or Mercer University. Mercer University’s Atlanta Office of Career Services does not control the content or information practices of these external organizations. We recommend that users review the privacy statements of these organizations.

FEES FOR SERVICE

There are some fees required for professional assessments and services to alumni. Personal information obtained for processing of payments will be provided only to the Mercer University Bursar’s Office, which abides by strict federal guidelines.

GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY INFORMATION

The Career Services Office is charged with collection of graduate employment information which includes employer and salary information. This information is used by Mercer University in reporting overall statistics to publications such as U.S. News & Report, Business Week, and Princeton Review, as well as in University recruiting publications, and to accrediting associations such as the MBA Career Services Council (MBACSC). Our office is ethically bound to guarantee protection of the confidentiality of your responses to these questions. The salary data we collect will be viewed only by the professional staff of the Career Services Office and will be used to generate reports of the average salaries of Mercer graduates. It is Mercer’s policy not to release this information in connection with your identity.

LIMITATIONS OF SERVICES

The staff of the Career Services Offices have backgrounds as generalists in career guidance, coaching, and employment search assistance which qualify them in the areas of career counseling. Many of our staff do not have national or state licenses in therapeutic clinical counseling.

If counselors determine an inability to be of professional assistance to clients, they avoid entering or immediately terminate a counseling relationship. Counselors are knowledgeable about referral resources and suggest appropriate alternatives. If clients decline the suggested referral, counselors may discontinue the relationship.

Our staff is equipped to work closely and discreetly with other agencies where referral is necessary and appropriate. However, the career counselor does not hold an obligation for the consequences which may be associated with client non-compliance.