Can someone answer the following four questions:
(1) What does it say on the Loan Application form the student fills in (e.g.
in relation to fairness). Does it say for example that the data on the form
will be confidential?
(2) Are you saying that you can actually get access to details of students
who are not at your university on the CD-ROM (i.e there is not a
technical/security fix which prevents this)?
(3) When you only obtain details of your own students, do you need the all
details identified below (e.g. student names, loan account numbers, dates of
birth, and
course details etc)
(4) Are there any regulations/legislation which arguably could permit this
form of distribution?
Chris
----------
> From: [log in to unmask]
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Cc: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Data Protection / SLC CD-ROM
> Date: 12 November 1999 10:12
>
> <<File Attachment: ENVELOPE.TXT>>
> An item of concern has been raised in connection with the administration
> of
> the revised Student Support system this year, particularly the Student
> Loans Company and the issuing of CD-ROMs to all HEIs containing fee
> details
> for undergraduate students.
> The CD-ROM (issued as a series of regular updates) lists in Excel/CSV
> format the portion of fees paid to HEIs by the SLC and individual student
> contribution to the University tuition fee. Details include the financial
> assessment, the student names, loan account numbers, dates of birth, and
> course details with UCAS code.
> Each CD-ROM contains an individual file relevant to an individual HEI, as
> well as the files for every other HEI in the UK. Effectively, every fees
> officer (and anybody else) who receives the CD-ROM has full access to
> personal, academic, and financial information on every student in the
> country.
> The Data Protection issue raised here is enormous - I have initiated a
> discussion topic on relevant academic administration
> mailing lists ( [log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
> ) to gauge opinion over this. So far I have received various comments
> agreeing with my concern.
> Wearing both my job hats at Lucy Cavendish, I have reported the situation
> to the Office of the Data Protection Registrar. I am concerned both in
> terms of Data Compliance by the SLC, and also as a member of staff within
> a
> HEI responsible for personal student financial information which has been
> made available nationally without consent. Following written confirmation
> from me, the DPR's Office have agreed to investigate the matter.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
> Dr IAN W.F. BAXTER
> Student Finances & Awards Officer
> & Data Compliance Officer
> Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, CB3 0BU. UK.
> Tel: 01223 332186 Fax: 01223 332178
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
> Heritage Management & Tourism R&D
> [Dept. Archaeology, Cambridge University]
> c/o 2 Australia Court, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0JA. UK
> Tel: (01223) 358269
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> ---------------------------------------------------
>
>
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