9. Release of Information About Students

The following information is available, without application through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act:

I. Disclosure to students of their own records

1. A transcript is a complete history of a student’s academic record at King’s/Dalhousie. Partial transcripts, e.g. a portion of a student’s record pertaining to registration in a particular degree, faculty or level of study only, are not issued.

2. Students have the right to inspect their academic record. An employee of the Registrar’s Office will be present during such an inspection.

3. Students will, on submission of a signed request and payment of a fee, have the right to receive transcripts of their own academic record. These transcripts will be marked “ISSUED TO STUDENT.” Official transcripts will be sent on a student’s request to other universities, or to business organizations, etc. The University will not release copies of transcripts if students owe monies to the University.

Please note that the Dalhousie Registrar’s Office will issue transcripts for students registered in Arts, Science and Music degrees, and for Master of Journalism and Master of Fine Arts degrees. The King’s Registrar’s Office issues the official record for Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) and Bachelor of Journalism students.

4. If transcripts are issued for a student while a Dalhousie Senate discipline case is pending and the committee subsequently makes a decision that affects the student’s transcript, revised transcripts will be sent to recipients if transcripts were issued while the case was pending.

II. Disclosure to Faculty, Administrative Officers, and Committees of the University

Information on students may be disclosed without the consent of the student to University officials or committees deemed to have a legitimate educational interest.

III. Disclosure to Third Parties

1. The following information is considered public information and may be released without restriction:

• Name
• Period of Registration
• Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees awarded
• Field of Study (as relates to degree awarded)
• Hometown and Awards/Distinctions*
  *(as indicated in the convocation/Encaenia program)

2. Information will be released without student consent to persons in compliance with a judicial order or subpoena or as required by federal or provincial legislation.

3. Necessary information may be released without student consent in an emergency, if the knowledge of that information is required to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons. Such requests should be directed to the Registrar.

4. In compliance with Statistics Canada requirements, a student’s national personal identification number assigned by the university or college first attended will routinely appear on a student’s transcript of record.

5. Statistics Canada is the national statistical agency. As such, Statistics Canada carries out hundreds of surveys each year on a wide range of matters, including education.

It is essential to be able to follow students across time and institutions to understand, for example, the factors affecting enrolment demand at postsecondary institutions. The increased emphasis on accountability for public investment means that it is also important to understand ‘outcomes’. In order to conduct such studies, Statistics Canada asks all colleges and universities to provide data on students and graduates. Institutions collect and provide to Statistics Canada, student identification information (student’s name and student ID number), student contact information (address and telephone number), student demographic characteristics, and enrolment information.

The Federal Statistics Act provides the legal authority for Statistics Canada to obtain access to personal information held by educational institutions. The information may be used only for statistical purposes, and the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act prevent the information from being released in any way that would identify a student.

Students who do not wish to have their information used are able to ask Statistics Canada to remove their identifying information from the national database by contacting:

Email: statcan.PSIS-SIEP.statcan@canada.ca.

Mail:

Institutional Surveys Section

Centre for Education Statistics

Statistics Canada Main Building

SC2100-K Tunney’s Pasture

Ottawa, ON  K1A 0T6

Students should also be aware that the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission (MPHEC) collects the data described above on behalf of Statistics Canada. In addition, it archives these data and uses them to generate basic statistics, research products, as well as the sampling frame for its university graduate survey. These activities support its mandate, which is to assist institutions and governments in enhancing the post-secondary learning environment. The legal authority for these activities is provided by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission Act. The MPHEC publishes information in aggregate form so that personal information concerning any person is never revealed. The MPHEC may disclose personal information for the purpose of research, in alignment with its mandate, and as authorized the MPHEC Act.

For more information, consult the MPHEC’s Privacy Statement at: www.mphec.ca.

6. In the case where students fail to pay their account with the University, their personal information may be sent to a collection agency.

7. The names, hometown and programs of study of students who have received endowed scholarships will be released to the donors of those awards.

8. On a semi-annual basis, a list of registered students will be provided to the King’s Students’ Union for the purposes of administering KSU sponsored programs and services for students (e.g. Health Insurance and King’s Students’ Union elections).

9. Following graduation, students automatically become members of the King’s Alumni Association. Names and contact information of graduates will be released to the Alumni Association and will become subject to the privacy policy of that association.

10. Other than in the above situations, information on students will be released to third parties only at the written request of the student, or where the student has signed an agreement with a third party, one of the conditions of which is access to their record (e.g. in financial aid). This restriction applies to requests from parents, spouses, credit bureaus and police.