Obligations

Guidelines for FOIP

  • Requests to Access NAIT Records
  • Collection of Personal Information
  • Disclosure of Personal Information
  • Correcting Personal Information
  • Managing Student Records
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Records Management
  • Developing Web Pages

Guidelines for Managing Student Records

  1. What student records should Instructors retain?
  2. What does the Registrar retain?
  3. Departmental Student Records
  4. Accessing the Registrar's Records
  5. Posting Student Grades
  6. Using Student's Work
  7. Disposal of Records

What student records should Instructors retain?

In order to comply with FOIP, instructors need to retain for one year, the following records used in making a decision about a student. This may include:

  • Grade Books
  • Final Exams
  • Other tests, papers, etc. if you used for making a decision that affects the student.
  • If the grade given is used for making the decision, the tests and papers may be destroyed or returned to the student.

All student personal information should be destroyed according to the Institutes Records Retention policy.

Note: The Records Retention Schedule is still being developed.

What does the Registrar retain?

The registrar is responsible for retaining the following records as part of the permanent student record?

  • Final grades for credit courses
  • Student transcripts
  • Class rosters
  • Admission records

What if your program area keeps its own set of student files?

There may be many instances where it is prudent to keep this information for more than one year; e.g. practicum records for a student in a two-year program. It is suggested that this type of documentation be kept until the usefulness for the information has ended, i.e. "one year after graduation" or "one year after program completion".

If I dispose of my records, how can I access the Registrar's Records?

Based on the "need to know", for the operation of your program, the Registrar's office staff will be able to retrieve the needed records from permanent files.

Can I post student grades?

You may post student grades, but only if the anonymity of the student can be guaranteed. One procedure might be to randomize the Student Identification numbers.

Can I use sample Student's course work as examples?

In order to comply with FOIP, you will need written consent from the student. That consent should include how the sample will be used and to whom it will be disclosed.

Disposal of Records (Refer to the Institute's Records Management Policy for destruction time lines)

  • Records containing sensitive or personal information should be shredded in a secure manner.
  • Records which do not contain sensitive or personal information can be recycled.
  • Bins for recycling are normally available from Custodial/House Keeping services.
  • Boxed or bagged material should clearly be marked "shredding" or "recycling".
  • Call Custodial/Housekeeping services at for pickups of shredding or recycling material.
  • Apply the same retention/destruction principles to taped/recorded matter as you would to paper records. Video and audio-cassettes can be erased through Media Production Services.

Guidelines for Recording Minutes from Meetings

Remember all minutes for meetings may be routinely disclosed to the public under FOIP and individuals have the right to see any personal information about themselves including opinions etc. expressed in meetings.

  1. Minutes should be complete, accurate, and unbiased.
  2. Minutes are a summary of decisions and discussions that occur in a meeting. They should be as clear, concise, and as objective as possible. A good format is to explain only the topic under discussion and decisions that where reaches.
  3. Do not quote individuals unless they specifically ask that their statements be "On the record" or there is a particular need for their statements to be on the record e.g. legal requirements.
  4. Try to provide as much context as possible when dealing with issues about individuals. Keep comments made regarding individuals as objective as possible.
  5. Try to structure meetings so issues regarding individuals are the final agenda items. This makes locating and severing the personal information much easier.
  6. Create minutes with the expectation that they could be disclosed. Where possible, organize minutes at time of creation in ways that will facilitate access.
  7. Minutes should not contain unsubstantiated subjective evaluations especially when the comments or opinions are about another individual.

Records Management

The Institutes Records Management Policy

The new institutes records management policy is pending approval.

Guidelines for Developing Web Pages

  1. Web pages can only collect personal information if there are reasonable security arrangements to protect against unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, or destruction of that personal information.
  2. Web pages can only collect personal information that is directly needed for operating a program or activity at NAIT. Remember personal information includes photos and work samples of students, faculty, or staff.
  3. Web pages that collect personal information must notify the individual of the purpose for the collection, the legal authority for the collection and who the legal authority for the collection and who the individual can contact to answer questions about the collection of the personal information.
  4. An individual who has had personal information through a web site has the right to review and request a correction to be made to that personal information.
  5. Every reasonable effort must be made to ensure that personal information collected through a web page is accurate and complete.
  6. If personal information is to be disclosed on a web site (i.e. photos, student work) the publisher must obtain written consent from individual(s).

Our Obligations

NAIT must be fully compliant by September 1999, or shortly there after.

  • Personal Information
  • Freedom of Information

Personal Information

  • When collecting personal information, NAIT must inform the individual of the purpose for collection, the specific legal authority for collection and information on who can answer questions about the collection
  • The Institute must obtain written consent from the individual in order to disclose personal information.
  • The Institute must make every reasonable effort to ensure the personal information it uses is accurate and complete.
  • The Institute must allow individuals the right of access to his or her own personal information and must respond to a request for a correction to that personal information.
  • The Institute must ensure that reasonable security arrangements are maintained for personal information in its possession.

Freedom of Information

  • Subject to certain exceptions and payment of fees, the Institute is obligated to provide the right of access to any record in its custody or control including a record containing personal information about the applicant.
  • The Institute must make every reasonable effort to assist individuals applying for access to information and to respond to each applicant openly, accurately and completely.
  • The Institute must make every reasonable effort to respond to a request for access to information not later then 30 days after receiving the request with payment of fee. 
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