> >>> Rebecca Hughes <[log in to unmask]> 10/10/01 11:55am >>>
> Looking at various university websites, I have discovered that some have
> staff and student e-mail and telephone directories available to the general
> web-surfing public, some state that they do not have such a directory
> because of data protection legislation and others still, appear to have
> adopted an "opt-in" system whereby only staff/students who ask to have
> their contact details included will be published, resulting in an
> incomplete directory. I find this discrepancy slightly worrying - has
> anybody received advice from the OIC on this matter?
A DPOs job would be easiest if we say NO to everything 'cause there is
something somewhere in the Act. The harder thing is to find the reasons to
say yes. Some institutions will blame DP for not having certain directories
either becuase they believe so or because it suits them.
We have a staff email directory were staff were given 2 or 3 electronic
warnings of what was happening and then one in writting. They had to opt
out. From there on opting back-in or out or opting out, or choosing to
publish selective information is up to the staff and it is an
automated process (only catch is the data get updated 24 hours later as I am
not such a good programmer).
We don't ask why staff want to opt out (anyway until we find there is noone
left in the directory). It could be because we respect staff's privacy and
freedoms, it could be 'cause no one really cares. :-)
We don't have an external tel. directory becuase the same usability cannot be
offered (ie. techie problems because of the structure of the data). As I am
not prepared to spend the rest of my life adding removing tel. numbers, until
the data become usable little we are going to do otherwise we would have done
exactly the same.
If we ever create a student email dir. it will be on based on students
voluntarily opting in (and then out, back in etc). One day ... too many
things to do. First we must find a way to make the darlings access email.
Better if you asked the question of what you want to do at Exeter as opposed
to following what anyone else is doing. I guess safety in numbers comes to
mind. So many times I have been told to see what other are doing. I simply
refuse. You should define your goals and then see if and how they can be
achieved.
Regards
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://www.somis.dundee.ac.uk/
Scottish Search Maestro http://somis2.ais.dundee.ac.uk/
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