Student Data Retention at the University of Strathclyde: A Summary, Study notes of Business

Download Student Data Retention at the University of Strathclyde: A Summary and more Study notes Business in PDF only on Docsity! The place of useful learning The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number SC015263 Student Record Retention – Centrally-Held Student Records: Summary The University must collect and use personal information about students to create and maintain adequate records for the various interactions students may have with the University. The University’s Privacy Notices for students and applicantsi set out what information we collect and use and other important information in relation to your rights under data protection legislation. To comply with legislative requirements for data protection the University must explicitly state how long information is retained for. This retention schedule sets out the retention periods for information held in relation to central student administrative processes and records. Much of the information provided will only be used while students are registered at the University. Some information is kept for a specified period after the student leaves for a number of purposes, including verifying qualifications and production of transcripts for students. Some of the information will be kept indefinitely by the University. This is known as the ‘core’ student record. All other data about a student or their studies will be deleted 6 years after they are no longer a student at the University. Some information, such as personal circumstance forms and supporting information are deleted much earlier, in this case 1 year after they are submitted for consideration. What the retention schedule means An applicant to the University will provide personal information in support of their application. This is provided to the University, either directly by the applicant or via a third party e.g. UCAS, to allow the application to be processed. Where a potential applicant begins an application but does not complete and/or submit it, the information provided will be retained in the admissions system for a period of 6 months following the last activity on the application. After 6 months inactivity, the information provided will be deleted and the applicant will be required to start a fresh application if they wish to apply. Where an application has been submitted but there is a delay in returning a decision by the University the information will be retained in the admission system until the decision is made. At this point, the appropriate action and retention period would be applied. i.e. the information is either rolled forward to form student record or kept for a period of not more than 2 years. Where the applicant is unsuccessful or does not become a student at Strathclyde, the information provided as part of the application process will be kept by the University for a period of not longer than 2 years after the end of the application cycle that the decision was communicated in. This is to allow the University to answer queries if required and to gather statistical information. Where the applicant is successful, is offered and accepts a place to study, the personal information provided as part of the application is rolled forward to form the student record. The student is allocated a registration number and the basic student record is supplemented by other information provided by the student at the time of registration. Some of this is sensitive personal information (referred to as ‘special category data’ under data protection legislation) and is requested for reporting purposes (i.e. UKVI, HESA) or to enable to University to better understand its student population in order to provide appropriate services (e.g. disability information, widening access information). The student record is the unique record that brings together the student’s personal information with their study details and academic achievements. It is live while the student is registered at the University and the information will be retained for a period of time after the relationship is terminated. The student record is made up of ‘core’ information, the primary purpose of which is to allow the University to uniquely identify the individual and link their teaching and learning information to the student, and additional information generated by student interaction with the University i.e. additional contact addresses etc. The core record is retained permanently and includes information that allows the University to identify the individual and their study details to be able to provide academic verifications and transcripts after the student has left the University. Core Student Record In addition, students may record personal circumstances during their studies. The summary of personal circumstances provided by the student and recorded by student business is kept on the student record for the duration of a students’ study and for a number of years after for the purposes of query resolution. However, any detailed supporting documents submitted in support of a personal circumstances application such as medical certificates or lawyers letters are kept only for 1 year beyond the academic year that they were submitted in. This detailed information is only required for consideration by the relevant Exam Boards and then for a short time afterwards in case of appeals or challenges to decisions. Where a student is suspended or subject to disciplinary action the outcome may also recorded on the student record. This information will be retained for a period of 6 years following the termination of the student’s relationship with the University, either through withdrawal or graduation, in case of challenge. Other records regarding a student, which could be personal in nature, may be kept by individual Departments e.g. in relation to a student’s study, progress, assignments etc. or student support services during the course of a student’s time at University. These are not covered by this retention schedule and will follow other retention periods either set out in University retention schedules or in line with JISC best practice. Much of this information is not kept indefinitely but only for the period that it is required. Most students will exit the University with an award that allows them to graduate. The University requires information to process the graduation of students, some of which is kept permanently for future verification purposes, such as the date of graduation and award information. The remainder is required for the administration of the graduation activities, such as the production and (for ‘in absentia’) postage of the certificate, and the running of the graduation ceremonies. When a student leaves the University some of their information is passed to Alumni who use it to contact previous students regarding benefits, services, events and fundraising collected to Strathclyde. Where a student, usually international, was required to provide passport, visa and other personal information for the purposes of visa verification i.e. T4 visa, this will be retained by the university in accordance with UK Visas and Immigration regulations. These regulations state information should be kept for a period of not less than 1 year after the termination of the relationship with the student, or until the university is audited, whichever is shorterii. Student details Student contact details Student study details  Name  Home address  Programme of study details, classes and results  Registration number  Mailing address  Attendance dates  Date of birth  Telephone number  Thesis details  Nationality  Final award details  Fee status  Departmental/University prizes (in development)  Gender  Professional status (if applicable)  Photo  Graduation details