It seems to me that a more sophisticated response is needed. The
great majority of enquirers asking whether someone is a current student
(and there are many hundreds a year here) are employers and landlords
simply seeking to check that the information that they have been given
is correct. Flats and jobs are scarce: any delay in responding will
prejudice our students' chances of getting them. So it would harm the
interest of the great majority of our students to depart from our historical
practice of regarding the fact of registration here as 'public information'.
However, clearly, under the new law this is personal data and we need
to adjust our policy. But rather than abandon a practice so clearly
beneficial to students, the sensible response is surely to begin informing
all new entrants of what our normal practice is, and why, and offering
those who feel they want it an opt-out. Implementing that opt-out may
be tricky (depending on your IT and organisational setup), but that's
another issue.
Owen
On Thu, 30 Mar 2000 13:29:26 GMT Charles Christacopoulos wrote:
> From: Charles Christacopoulos <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 13:29:26 GMT
> Subject: Re: Advising callers if student is registered or not
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> ** Reply to note from Lucinda Bennett <[log in to unmask]>
Thu, 30 Mar 2000 12:17:27 +0100
>
>
> > At Exeter, if an enquirer phones up wanting to know whether
> > or not an individual is registered at the University, staff
> > currently disclose this information to the caller, ie Yes,
> > X is a registered student here.1 Likewise, if the student
> > should have registered but did not, or if the student has
> > left the University, this information is also disclosed.
> > However, any other information (eg addresses, phone numbers
> > etc) is not disclosed to the caller - and messages are
> > forwarded on to the student to deal with as they see fit.
> >
> > However, under the DP Act, is it legal for staff
> > to disclose even this limited information? If not, could
> > it be got around by advising students on the Registration
> > form that this limited info will be routinely disclosed to
> > callers.
>
> My reaction would be not to answer at all. You should stick to "one"
formal
> answer and refuse to give any info. even if the student does not exist
in
> your institution. If for some students you say they are not there and
for
> others you refuse to answer you will efectively admit that the latter are
> there.
>
> My "conspiracy" mind says we have to safeguard those who may be
in a
> vulnerable situation. I am thinking of divorced people, sexual, racial
> harassment and so on. We should not really be admitting to the
whereabouts
> of students let alone their address or other private details.
>
> If a caller is serious enough ask them to write to you.
>
> If it helps at all.
>
> Charles
>
> ==============================================
> Charles Christacopoulos, Secretary's Office, University of Dundee,
> Dundee DD1 4HN, (Scotland) United Kingdom.
> Tel: +44+(0)1382-344891. Fax: +44+(0)1382-201604.
> http://somis.ais.dundee.ac.uk/
> Scottish Search Maestro http://somis2.ais.dundee.ac.uk/
_____
Owen Richards
Academic Registrar
University of Sussex
Tel: 01273 877019
Email: [log in to unmask]
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