Release of Student Record Information

Issued By: Registrar
Approved By:
Effective Date: March 1994
Amended: October 2005  

King's recognizes the importance of the privacy, confidentiality, security and maintenance of each student's academic record and endorses The University of Western Ontario’s official Student Record Information Privacy Policy as well as all relevant legislation including The Freedom of Information Act and The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Using the definitions of this policy, the term “student” may refer to prospective applicant, applicant, current student, alumnus or alumna or former student.

King’s may release statistical information drawn from student academic records provided that the information does not disclose the identity of individual students. 

GUIDELINE FOR RELEASE OF STUDENTS’ PERSONAL INFORMATION IN COMPELLING OR COMPASSIONATE CIRCUMSTANCES

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), King’s may disclose personal information about an individual in “compelling” or “compassionate” circumstances without the consent of the individual.

Compelling Circumstances
King’s may disclose personal information in compelling circumstances affecting the health or safety of an individual. In such circumstances there may be no other reasonable way to provide the personal information, or there may be an emergency where the delay in obtaining the information would be injurious to someone’s health or safety.
Before personal information is released both of the following conditions must be satisfied:

  1.  the circumstances in which the release of personal information is contemplated must be compelling; and
  2.  the  compelling circumstances must affect the health or safety of an individual

If personal information is disclosed, King’s must give notice of the disclosure to the individual to whom the information relates at his or her last known address.

Clearly, it will be a matter of judgment as to whether circumstances are compelling and whether the health or safety of an individual are affected.  King’s employees must be satisfied that the circumstances warrant such release and then should release only necessary information.  Unless the urgency of the situation does not allow sufficient time for consultation, no information should be released without prior consultation with the Registrar/Privacy Officer or the College’s Legal Counsel.  For information held in the Registrar’s Office, any disclosure is subject to the prior approval of the Registrar or designate.

Compassionate Circumstances
King’s may disclose personal information in compassionate circumstances to facilitate contact with the next of kin or a friend of an individual who is injured, ill or deceased.

Only the personal information necessary to facilitate contact should be disclosed. The personal information to be disclosed may relate either to the injured or deceased person, or to the relative or friend who is to be contacted. For information held in the Registrar’s Office, any disclosure is be subject to the prior approval of the Registrar or designate.  

Information Contained in Official Student Academic Records

Official Student Academic Records, in electronic or paper form, contain the following information relating to at student’s application, admission, and performance at the University:

(a) personal information (name, address, e-mail address, telephone, date of birth, citizenship, social insurance number, student number, photograph, etc);
(b) basis of admission information (application, record of previous studies, letters of recommendation, test results, etc.);
(c) registration and enrollment information (programs of study, dates of attendance, academic load, courses taken, credits transferred, etc.);
(d) performance information (grades, averages and ranks, narrative evaluations, clinical evaluations, distinctions/awards, special permissions, academic counselling information, degrees obtained, requirements to withdraw, scholastic offence decisions*, etc.);
(e) decisions relating to academic appeals/petitions;
(f) decisions against a student, including appeal decisions, under the Code of Student Conduct;
(g) medical information given to a Faculty related to a student’s performance that is provided by or collected with the consent of the student; and
(h) financial information (tuition fees and other charges, payments, awards, debts, library fines or other fines, etc.).

The following information is not considered to form part of the Official Student Academic Record and is not covered by the provisions of this policy:

  • medical information provided to Student Health Services;
  • information relating to the employment by the University of current students, alumni/ae or former students;
  • information relating to special needs, personal counselling or other services collected by the Dean of Students is with the consent of the student and secured appropriately in both paper and electronic form;
  • information other than the basic demographic data that is maintained by or on behalf of Alumni Office/Foundation. The Alumni Office/Foundation maintains confidential computerized files and paper records. The electronic information is protected by passwords and paper records are placed in locked cabinets. Only the Executive Director, Manager, Annual Giving and Stewardship, Alumni Coordinator and Executive Assistant/Special Events Coordinator have
    access to this information. No information will be released without prior consent;-information on counselling notes and academic records of students requesting academic counselling services, as well as the records of students on academic probation or seeking exchange or letters of permission opportunities, are secured in the Office of the Academic Dean. These materials may only be accessed by the Academic Dean, Associate Academic Dean, Academic Counsellors and Administrative Assistant to the Academic Dean;
     
  • The Student Financial Services Office maintains confidential computer files and paper records of a student’s financial records. The electronic information is protected by passwords and paper records are kept in a secure area. Information is only accessed by members of the Student Financial Services Office and Finance Department. However Student Financial Services and the Finance Department may be required by law to share confidential information with government agencies.
Student's Access to His/Her Own Academic Record:

Each student has a general right to examine and make copies of his or her own academic record with the assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office. Each student has the right to challenge the accuracy of his or her academic record and the right to supplement the files with comments.

A student does not have a general right to materials contained in a file concerning disciplinary matters. A student does not have a right of access to documents submitted in confidence such as confidential letters of reference or evaluations.

Since the Registrar's Office is the guardian of all student records and must protect the privacy and confidentiality of each student's record, the Office will release select information to individuals in the prescribed manner below:

1. Principal's Office (Principal, Executive Assistant to Principal) - access to all student records and student information with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office.

2. Academic Dean's Office (Academic Dean, Associate Academic Dean, Academic Counsellors, Administrative Assistant to the Academic Dean/Assistant Academic Counsellor, Academic Information Secretary) - access to all student records and student information.

3. Department Chairs, Program Coordinators, Director of Social Work, Administrative Assistant to the Director and Admissions Coordinator/King’s College Faculty - access to student records system or computer printout for students’ academic records, students' I.D. numbers, addresses and phone numbers.

4. Faculty Secretaries - access to students' I.D. numbers, addresses and phone numbers with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office.

5. Dean of Students' Office - access to students' I.D. numbers, addresses, phone numbers, with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office. Select academic information, such as timetables and course registration information is available to Dean of Students, Secretary to Dean of Students and Coordinator/Counsellor - Students with Disabilities, Disabilities Assistant for both special needs and bursary programs.

6. Student Financial Services Office - confirmation of students’ academic load, status and progress will be communicated to members of the Student Financial Services Office in order to assess fees and determine OSAP eligibility.

7. Library (Chief Librarian, Associate Librarian, Head, Research and Information Service) - access to students' I.D. numbers addresses, phone numbers with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office.

8. Physical Plant (Director of Physical Plant , Receptionist, Security) - access to students' addresses, phone numbers with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office. Upon the request of policing organization, the Director of Physical Plant may require Date of Birth information with the assistance of the Registrar’s Office.

9. Alumni/King's College Foundation (Executive Director, Manager, Annual Giving and Stewardship, Alumni Coordinator and Executive Assistant/Special Events Coordinator) - access to information about period of enrolment, degree granted, address, phone number of any alumni with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office.

10. UWO Faculty, Decanal and Advising Personnel - access to contents of file including scholastic offences information if included in Registrar's file. (See Senate Policy S.97-187) and addresses and phone numbers of students who have approved release of this information, confirmation of registration of King's students with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office.

11. Students - access to addresses and phone numbers of students who have approved release of this information with assistance of any member of Registrar's Office.

12. Outside Agencies - access to addresses and phone numbers of students who have approved release of this information with assistance of any member of the Registrar's Office. A confirmation of registration will be given upon the approval of the Registrar or designate. Information may be released to a third party:

  • with the student's consent;
  • on the presentation of a court order, or otherwise under compulsion of law;
  • in accordance with the requirements of professional licensing or certification bodies;
  • to other educational institutions;
  • pursuant to an investigation of possible misrepresentation concerning an individual’s references, attendance, performance, status within, or completion of an academic program at the University or at another academic institution;
  • in compassionate or emergency situations, as determined by the custodian of the information;
  • in other circumstances set out in the University’s Guidelines on Access to Information and Protection of Privacy or as permitted under applicable federal or provincial legislation.

The College will maintain a record of occasions on which information from the student record is provided to a third party.

IF ANY OF THE ABOVE INDIVIDUALS DESIRE OTHER INFORMATION THESE REQUESTS MUST BE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE REGISTRAR OR DESIGNATE. SUCH REQUESTS WILL BE ADJUDICATED IN THE TENOR OF THIS DOCUMENT.

15. General Public Enquiries - any requests for student information must be made directly to the Registrar or designate. However, the following is considered to be public information and, therefore, is not subject to the policy constraining disclosure:

  • full name;
  • the college, school, faculty or other division in which the student is enrolled or registered;
  • the sessions in which the student is or has been registered;
  • degrees, diplomas or certificates received and graduation date;
  • academic or other University/College honors or distinction.
INFORMATION NEVER TO BE RELEASED TO ANYONE OTHER THAN STUDENT*:
  1. Date of Birth;
  2. Social Insurance Number;
  3. Marital Status;
  4. Personal notes in students' files of Academic Dean, Associate Academic Dean, Academic Counsellors, Registrar, Associate Registrar, Admissions and Liaison Officers;
  5. Sealed materials in academic file;
  6. Confidential materials in academic file.

Note: Information may be released by power of a court order or if required by a professional licensing authority or board of certification or similar institution. *See 8. Physical Plant

Custody, Storage and Retention of Official Student Academic Records

King’s maintains Official Student Academic Records in electronic or paper form. Electronic records contain information required to monitor the progress and performance of students, produce periodic performance reports, and provide attestations of achievement and official transcripts of academic records. They also form the basis of management information needed for the operation of the College and for enrollment reports and statistical information required by government agencies. All portions of the electronic student academic record needed to produce official transcripts are maintained indefinitely.

* Access to and disclosure of any information relating to a scholastic offence that is not recorded on a student’s transcript, such as a decision letter, is governed by Senate regulations and not this policy (see “Release of Information Concerning Scholastic Offences” in the Academic Calendar).

October 2005
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