Sarah
As a parent and data subject I get approached for no obligation
contributions to my children field trips but am assured that they will not
be prejudiced if I fail to contribute. Like many parents I support where I
can. But hang on I've got the good old DPA to protect me from such
approaches using the 'guilt' approach. However the school solved that by
omitting names and having the children bringing the letters home to whom it
may concern.

Reactions using DPA are usually based on volumes of requests in any given
period or sometimes simply bad day, but opt out is a right individuals have
and can choose to use so I agree it is prudent for all those looking to get
a result from such marketing/fundraising to respect opt out as best
practice, failure to do so simply builds resistance.

David



-----Original Message-----
From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Sarah Gilbert
Sent: 24 January 2001 16:27
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: University fund-raising

Dear All - further to Jane's query below - could I make a comment from an
Alumni/fundraiser's point of view (who subscribes to this list in order to
try
and do things properly!!).
Firstly - Charles - you'd be amazed at how successful fundraising from
parents can be - ask anyone in the Development Office at St Andrews!
Secondly - "cold calling" is bad practice to whoever it may be - Jane
perhaps you could suggest to your Marketing office that they offer parents
an opt-in/opt-out through a relevant and carefully worded mailing from the
VC or Principal.
For those of you who may also be in this position, those educational
institutions who are members of CASE have representatives who have been
discussing these kind of issues with the office of the DP Registrar direct
to
ensure that we are all following the act - Adrian Beney in Durham's
Development Office and Chris Berry at Newcastle may therefore be able to
offer some advice on this one.
Hope that helps!
best wishes, Sarah Gilbert


From:                   Jane Hopkinson <[log in to unmask]>
Organization:           University of Plymouth
Subject:                Re: University fund-raising
To:                     [log in to unmask]

Our marketing/fund-raising people have suggested cold-calling parents
of current students to see if we can raise funds that way (the plan
is to start wiuth a pilot on the grounds of 'what would your response
be' and then extend if it looks positive, but that's irrelevant to
the principle).

My view is that we cannot release information to enable them to do
this.  While marketing is one of the things we have identified we
might use student data for, this isn't data which the student has
released about themselves, it is data which they have given us for
use in case of emergency which actually belongs to the data subject,
viz their parent/next of kin/whomever.  This is clearly not an
emergency, so I am saying no way.

I am however assured that other institutions have done this (and
reaped financial rewards therefrom).  Question - was this pre-the
Act?  Or have I missed an obvious loophole?  My colleagues have
suggested that we could just call the permanent home number which
the student has given us and talk to whomever, but
a) since we know that in term time they are not going to be at their
home number unless it is also their term time address, how could we
justify it? and
b) it could be tricky anyway, since the callers would have no
idea who lives there or what their relationship to the student is

Since there are days when I am convinced that since there are more
of them than me, it must be me, any reassurance gratefully received!I
*****************
Jane Hopkinson
University Secretary and Academic Registrar
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth
Devon PL4 8AA
------- End of forwarded message -------

Sarah Gilbert
Alumni Manager
Cardiff University
External Relations Division
PO Box 921
Cardiff
CF1 3XQ
UK
Tel: +44-(0)29-20-876551 (Direct Line)
Fax: +44-(0)29-20-874457