Dear Colleagues
My enquiry on the mailbase on Wednesday about how we ensure
that all the processes associated with Graduation (printing
of graduands' names in programmes; release of names to such
external agents as video and T-shirt companies; release of
names to local press) are consonant with the requirements
of the Data Protection Act elicited a good deal of
interest. My thanks to everyone who took the trouble to
reply.
A very helpful summary of these issues and others (such as
how to respond to divorced parents seeking information by
'phone about their child's ceremony) can be found at
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/dataprotection/draft/ceremonies.htm
Although I understand that Lancaster's Guidelines have not
yet been formally approved by the national office dealing
with Data Protection, they strike me as being very
authoritative, and we shall be looking at them very
carefully in relation to our own practice after the Act
comes into force in October. My thanks to my colleague at
Lancaster who directed me to this site, which also,
incidentally, contains useful guidelines on related issues
such as Academic Appeals & Complaints Procedures and the
responsibilities, within the Act, of a University
Counselling Service.
Robert Green
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* Dr R.J.Green *
* Senior Assistant Registrar *
* Academic Registrar's Department *
* University of Southampton *
* Southampton S017 1BJ. *
* Tel: 023-80593062; Fax 023-80593037*
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