Section 23.9 - University Regulations and Information for Students

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University Regulations and Information for Students

Academic Regulations

23.1

Changes in Regulations

23.2

Residence Requirements

23.3

Attendance

23.4

Evaluation Procedures and Grading System

Appeals and Grievances

23.9

Student Records

23.9 Student Records

Definitions

In §23.9,

(1)

"collect” refers to the collection of a student’s personal information by or for the University, whether the information is collected directly from the individual or from another source (e.g. a person or organization internal or external to the University);

(2)

”confidential” refers to materials which have been solicited in confidence with the student’s consent;

(3)

”consent” is written permission from a student for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, including confidential materials. Such permission is generally based on the student’s awareness of the type of material maintained in a record bearing the student’s name;

(4)

”personal information” is recorded information about an identifiable individual who is a student, including: name, home or business addresses or telephone numbers; age, sex, national or ethnic origin, religious or political beliefs, marital status or family status, sexual orientation; identifying number, symbol or other particular assigned to the student; information about the student’s health and health care history including information about a mental or physical disability; information about the student’s educational, financial, employment or criminal history; someone else’s opinions about the student; the student’s personal views or opinions, except if they are about someone else;

(5)

”student” means anyone who has interaction with the University related to a personal potential or actual course of studies, credit or non-credit, and includes

-	prospective students who inquire about studies at the University or who are approached through recruitment efforts;
-	applicants who apply for admission to a program or course of studies, whether admitted or not;
-	registrants who register in a program, course, or other course of studies, credit or non-credit;
-	those who have previously interacted with the University as prospective students, applicants, or registrants and who still have records at the University related to these interactions.

(6)

”student record” means a record of information relating to an individual’s activity in or interaction with the University as a student. Such records may contain personal information related to the student’s interactions with the University. The information may be maintained in any format, including printed, audio, visual, electronic, magnetic and may be stored on any medium including paper, fiche, tape, disk or other electronic or magnetic medium. Student records are normally of three types: files, transactions, and listings, as follows:

-	files include academic files maintained by the Registrar (including transcripts), a dean or a chair; academic files maintained by academic advisors and other offices; financial records; disciplinary records; files used to document activities related to University business (athletics, housing, parking, committees and other governance bodies, ONEcard, University of Alberta Protective Services, counselling and medical services, etc.); files used to document processes initiated pursuant to University policy (appeals, grievances, reappraisal, etc.);
-	transactions involve documents, messages and the like, transient or permanent, which pertain to a student including e-mail messages, voice mail messages, memos, letters, notes, minutes or transaction records of meetings, hearings, selection proceedings, Internet sites;
-	listings are lists or compendiums involving students’ information including mailing or membership lists of committees, councils boards or groups, examination postings, scholarship, bursary or award lists, lists of convocants, degree recipients and the like including photographic displays, alumni lists, statistics compiled for disciplinary and appeal procedures.

(7)

”Unit” means a basic organizational unit of the University responsible for academic or research functions (e.g., department, Faculty) or administrative or financial functions (e.g., Office of the Registrar and Financial Services) or service functions (e.g. Health Centre, Dean of Students’ Office).

23.9.1 Collection of Personal Information

Information that forms part of the student record is collected under the authority of the Universities Act of the Province of Alberta and in accordance with section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP Act). It is used to determine eligibility for admission and financial assistance, to advise students about academic programs and to provide university services.

The student record is disclosed to academic and administrative units. Specific information is disclosed to the federal and provincial governments to meet reporting requirements and to the Students’ Union/Graduate Students’ Association in accordance with FOIPP Information Sharing Agreements.

23.9.2 Academic History (Transcript) Records

(1)

Students should be aware that their academic record (transcript) is a continuing one and that all matters relating to courses, grades, academic standing, and probation will permanently appear on the academic record.

(2)

Students are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of their official record by verifying their unofficial transcript on Bear Tracks (https://www.beartracks.ualberta.ca). Students should be aware that only the official academic history (transcript) is retained permanently and that source information from the student file is destroyed seven years after the last registration. Queries regarding errors or omissions in the official academic history (transcript) must be made as soon as possible, and will not be considered after the source information has been destroyed.

(3)

Official academic history records, called “transcripts” are issued by the Office of the Registrar only upon the request of the student. They are issued to the student personally or to whomever the student designates. An official transcript bears the signature of the Registrar and is printed on security paper.

Students and alumni may request transcripts in person at the Student Access Centre, main floor Administration Building. Requests via mail, fax or designate can be completed using the Official Transcript Request form located on the Office of the Registrar website (www.registrarsoffice.ualberta.ca) or by signed letter. Students or alumni with Bear Tracks access can request their official transcript online at https://www.beartracks.ualberta.ca.

(4)

The University of Alberta transcript includes the following information for each student record:

a.	student name
b.	student previous name(s)
c.	student ID number
d.	student’s birth month and day
e.	date of issue of transcript
f.	degrees and awards granted
g.	admission status and basis of admission
h.	credit granted from other institutions or programs
i.	Faculty and degree program of registration
j.	course information, including for each course: term, course name, number, title, grade, units of course weight, grade points, class average and class enrolment
k.	total units of course weight and grade points used to calculate GPA
l.	grade point average calculation
m.	comments pertaining to academic standing in the program
n.	withdrawal date, if appropriate
o.	disciplinary record of suspension or expulsion or rescission/suspension of a degree, if appropriate.

(5)

For further information regarding grades or GPA, refer to §23.4, Evaluation Procedures and Grading System

(6)

Units of Course Weight: Course weight is assigned for the purpose of calculating a weighted (grade point) average. A normal course carries a weight of 3.0 and includes three hours of lecture per week for one term. A course weight of 3.0 may be considered as equal to three semester-hours or 4.5 quarter hours. [This information is captured and stored on a database on a per course basis but is not printed on the transcript.]

(7)

Grade Points: Grade points for undergraduate students are calculated by multiplying the course grade point value by the units of course weight.

(8)

An unofficial copy of a student’s academic history (unofficial transcript) does not bear the Registrar’s signature, nor is it printed on security paper. Unofficial copies of a student’s academic history are issued in the form of:

a.	Statements of results issued to students at the end of the Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer terms;
b.	Student's unofficial transcript available on Bear Tracks (https://www.beartracks.ualberta.ca);
c.	Copies of students’ academic history issued to Faculties, departments, or academic advisors as appropriate for consideration for admission, academic standing and promotion and for the academic advisement of students;
d.	Copies of students’ academic history issued at the students’ request to other offices or individuals in the University;
e.	Copies of students’ academic history issued to the appropriate administrative office where the adjudication or processing of an award or bursary made through a University scholarship or bursary committee is involved. Administrative offices include the Office of the Registrar, the Scholarship Office of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, and the Student Financial Aid Information Centre.

23.9.3 Registration Deadlines Implication for Records

(1)	In Fall/Winter students have ten class days following the commencement of that term’s classes in which to make changes to their registration without penalty. Courses dropped during this period are deleted entirely from a student’s record. Course withdrawals following this period and up to the last day for withdrawing from courses for that term result in a grade of W (withdrew) being recorded on the student’s record. Grades of W are not included in the calculation of the Grade Point Average.
(2)	Students may not officially withdraw from a course after the Withdrawal Deadline. All students registered in a course after the Withdrawal Deadline will be assigned a final grade by the instructor based on course work completed.
(3)	Credit/No Credit courses which are dropped following the deadline for the last day for withdrawing from courses for that term result in a grade of NC (fail) being assigned for the course(s) by the student’s Faculty. Grades of NC are not included in the calculation of GPA.
(4)	When a student withdraws from one or more courses after the first week of classes, fees will be reassessed on a per course basis according to the regulations noted in §22.2.9 of this Calendar. Students who register and then cease to attend, or never attend, without submitting an approved Withdrawal Form will not be eligible for any refund of fees nor will they be exempt from paying assessed fees that are unpaid.
(5)	§11 (Academic Schedule) of this Calendar contains the specific dates for the change of registration and course withdrawal dates noted above.

23.9.4 Access to Student Information

(1)

Access by the Student: A student shall have access to records maintained by any University Unit which bears the student name or other personal identifier in accordance with the policies and protocols of the University or as provided for by the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

(2)

Access by University of Alberta Employees: Employees may access only that personal information in students’ records if access to the information is necessary to fulfill their employment duties.

(3)

Access by Others:

Except as noted in §23.9.4(3)b. below, personal information will not be disclosed to others without the express consent of the student unless in accordance with the provisions of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or an Information Sharing agreement or Research agreement or Common Program or Service Agreement of the University.

In accordance to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the University can confirm to a third party that a student is registered in a program at the University unless the student has requested in writing that this information not be disclosed. The University can also disclose to an inquiry information that has been made publicly available such as name, date of convocation, and degree, diploma or certificate awarded unless the student has requested that this information not be disclosed.

23.9.5 Records of Disciplinary Action

See §30.2.16 of the Code of Student Behaviour. Amendments to the Code of Student Behaviour occur throughout the year. The official version of the Code of Student Behaviour, as amended from time to time is housed on the University Governance website at www.governance.ualberta.ca.

23.9.6 Correction of Records

Students should request correction to their own records if they believe that there are errors or omissions. The head of the Unit maintaining the record will respond by either making the correction or annotating in the record that the correction was requested but not made.

When an error or omission is detected in a student record and that error or omission is subsequently corrected, a copy of the corrected record shall be provided to the student and to each individual or agency to which the university had directly issued an incorrect record.

23.9.7 Use of Student Records for Research

Information on use of student records for research can be found in the Access to Personal Information for Research/Studies Procedure, located on the University of Alberta Policy and Procedures Online (UAPPOL) website at policiesonline.ualberta.ca/Pages/default.aspx

23.9.8 Letters of Reference and Assessments of Students

(1)

Letters of Reference

The contents of letters of reference collected implicitly or explicitly in confidence with the consent of the student, for the purposes of determining admission to a program or for the granting of an award, may be revealed to the student in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Letters of reference will be used only for the express purpose(s) for which they have been supplied.

Letters of reference will be retained for at least one year.

(2)

Assessments of Students

Assessment information contained in a student’s record may only be divulged by an administrative officer of the University to third parties (such as institutions, agencies or prospective employers) with the student’s consent.

When asked by such institutions, agencies or prospective employers to express an opinion concerning a student’s academic ability, character and personality, a faculty member may do so only with the consent of the student, in which case, a record of the opinion so expressed will be retained for a minimum of one year by the faculty member.

(3)

Reports from University Health Centre and Student Counselling Services

a.	Where students have gone on their own initiative or have been referred by an authorized officer of the University to either University Health Centre (as patients) or to Student Counselling Services (as clients), the contents of the students’ files are private, and will be protected under the FOIPP Act and in accordance with professional ethics or codes of behaviour.
b.	The diagnosis, assessment, or findings contained in any reports or files written by professional consultants at the University Health Centre or Student Counselling Services will normally be reported to an authorized officer of the University or to a specified authority outside the University only if the student gives written consent to do so. It is recognized that the nature and content of any report provided by the consultant will be determined by the ethics and codes of behaviour of the consultant’s profession, or as otherwise required by law and will be protected by the FOIPP Act.
c.	Exceptions to the restricted reporting guidelines outlined in b. above will only occur in situations where, in the opinion of the professional in question, failure to disclose relevant information could reasonably be expected to threaten the health or safety of the student or a third party.

(4)

Reports From Other Counselling Services

In addition to the counselling services provided by the University Health Centre and Student Counselling Services, a large number and variety of other University Units offer counselling to students as part of their operating practice. Any student records created or maintained by these Units must be in compliance with the regulations set out in GFC policy and in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

23.9.9 Objections to Release of Information

Students who object to the release of information regarding their records in accordance with the policies stated in §23.9 should notify the Registrar in writing, giving the specific objection. Appropriate action will be taken by the Registrar who will so advise the student.

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act provides for disclosure of personal information for the purposes of complying with an enactment of Alberta or Canada. It also allows for an appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of any decision relating to the release of personal information.

23.9.10 Overdue Accounts: Withholding of University documents and Denial of Registration

In any case where a student has neglected or refused to pay amounts owed to the University, the Registrar has been empowered and directed by the Board of Governors to deny or terminate registration and withhold their official transcript and/or degree parchment, until the student has settled the account with the University or has made arrangements satisfactory to the University to do so. For example, the degree parchment, or official transcript, may be withheld or registration denied if the student owes the University for library penalties or fines; for purchases at the University Bookstore; for parking or traffic violations; for breakage or damage to laboratory facilities or supplies; for student fees and University of Alberta Emergency Student Loans; for room and board fees; for fees for reexamination or deferred final examinations; or for fines imposed by the Discipline Officer or the University Appeal Board.

For overdue accounts a penalty of 18% per annum will be applied to the outstanding balance at the end of each month.

Delinquent accounts will be reported to the Credit Bureau and referred to a collection agency for recovery.

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