Introduction
The Registrar or delegate is the only CBU official authorized to release official information in the form of student transcripts, grade reports, or letters of standing, whether as individual or aggregate information.
Access to student records is therefore controlled by the Registrar and every caution is taken to ensure their security. Cape Breton University protects the student’s right to privacy and as such, access to any private and personal information will only be used for internal purposes and will be restricted to CBU employees who have legitimate reasons for accessing the information. Access to student records by CBU employees is therefore controlled by the Registrar and every caution is taken to ensure their security. Confidentiality of information is required.
Students have access to their records at any time as described under the section in these regulations called Transcripts or online through the student log-in at www.cbu.ca.
Release of Individual Student Information to the Public
A student’s parents, spouse, relatives, employers and members of other educational institutions or agencies are considered to be members of the public and the following information may be released in person, in writing, or over the telephone but only if the identity of the individual is confirmed: period of registration, program of studies, certificates, degrees, diplomas awarded, date(s) of convocation.
All other information is considered private and will only be released by the Registrar:
- if the student provides prior written consent;
- in accordance with the requirements of professional licensing or certification bodies;
- under the compulsion of law and then only if the Registrar agrees to release the record;
- in an emergency situation and then only if the Registrar agrees to release the information;
- if an organization sponsoring the student requests a statement of academic performance;
- if a person or agency seeks access to the record for research purposes and the following conditions are met:
- the intended use of the data is stated in the request and is judged by the Registrar to be an appropriate use of the data.
- any disruption to the operation of the Student Service Centre will be insignificant.
Student Intellectual Property Policy
This policy sets out the guidelines and regulations around intellectual property (IP) related to works created by CBU students as part of their course work as well as when they are employed to conduct research. Please visit the link for more information.
Notification of Disclosure of Personal Information to Statistics Canada and the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission
STATISTICS CANADA
Statistics Canada is the national statistical agency. As such, Statistics Canada carries out hundreds of surveys each year on a wide range of matters, including education.
It is essential to be able to follow students across time and institutions to understand, for example, the factors affecting enrolment demand at post-secondary institutions. The increased emphasis on accountability for public investment means that it is also important to understand outcomes. In order to conduct such studies, Statistics Canada asks all colleges and universities to provide data on students and graduates. Institutions collect and provide to Statistics Canada, student identification information (student’s name, student ID number, Social Insurance Number), student contact information (address and telephone number), student demographic characteristics, enrolment information, previous education and labour force activity.
The federal Statistics Act provides the legal authority for Statistics Canada to obtain access to personal information held by educational institutions. The information may be used for statistical purposes only and the confidentiality provisions of the Statistics Act prevent the information from being released in any way that would identify a student.
Students who do not wish to have their information used can ask Statistics Canada to remove their identifying information from the national database. On request by a student, Statistics Canada will delete an individual’s contact information (name, address, or other personal identifiers) from the PSIS database. To make such a request, please contact Statistics Canada:
Institutional Surveys Section
Centre for Education Statistics
Statistics, Canada
100 Tunney’s Pasture Driveway
R.H. Coats Building, Floor 13 G
Ottawa, ON K1A 0T6
statcsn.PSIS-SIEP.statcan@canada.ca
Further details on the use of the information collected by Statistics Canada can be obtained from the Statistics Canada Web Site.
Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission
The MPHEC collects the data described above on behalf of Statistics Canada. In addition, it archives these data and uses them to generate basic statistics, research products, as well as the sampling frame for its graduate survey. These activities support its mandate, which is to assist institutions and governments in enhancing the post-secondary learning environment. The legal authority for these activities is provided by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission Act. The act also requires that all data received by the Commission is kept confidential and ensures the protection of personal information. More information about the MPHEC and its Standard for Maintaining Confidentiality may be found at www.mphec.ca.
Regarding those students who do not wish to have their information used. Statistics Canada will notify the MPHEC of any student choosing to have their personal information removed from the national database, and their information will be subsequently be removed from the MPHEC’s database.
Directories
Cape Breton University will prepare lists of students, giving ID, name, address and telephone number for use by its administrative officials, including Students’ Union personnel. These lists include information on all currently registered students and are considered to be confidential.
Directories are not permitted to be published.
Class Attendance
Attendance Policy: CBU does not have an institution-wide mandatory class attendance policy. However, we strongly encourage students to attend. Certain programs or courses may wish or be required to make attendance mandatory. Such requirements must be clearly communicated in the course syllabi and will supersede the general CBU non-attendance policy.
Correspondence From the Office of the Registrar to the Student
Upon registration at CBU, all official correspondence from the Office of the Registrar, is sent to students via their CBU email accounts. Students are reminded to check their email regularly and to keep their inbox open for delivery.
The Cape Breton University will only use your university email account for official communications, including messages from your instructors, department or faculty, academic advisors, and other administrative offices.
Student Email Policy Information
The Cape Breton University will only use your university email account for official communications, including messages from your instructors, department or faculty, academic advisors, and other administrative offices.
Why does this policy exist?
Every year Cape Breton University students miss emails with crucial information, including class cancellation notices, assignment deadline changes, notification of outstanding fee balances, deregistration notices, important policy and regulation changes, overdue library notifications, important date reminders, and much more. A related concern is that the university ensures student privacy is not breached.
What does the policy mean?
All official university email communications will only be sent to a student’s CBU’s email account – generally, this includes any communication that could identify you as a Cape Breton University student. This means that:
- Instructors and other staff will not have access to your personal email addresses.
- Instructors are encouraged to outline how email or other methods of electronic communication will be used in courses and their expectations of you in this regard in their course syllabi.
- Instructors and other staff might not open or respond to emails that you send from a personal email account.
What are the implications for you as a student?
- You must activate and use your CBU email account.
- You are expected to be using your CBU email account no later than the end of the Registration Revision Period in your first term of attendance. Some faculties may require this sooner.
- You are responsible for checking for new mail regularly, and for managing your email – if your account fills up, you will no longer receive new emails.
- You should review your course syllabi for information about electronic communication expectations for your classes.
Release of Information About Students
- Disclosure to Students of Their Own Records:
- Students have the right to inspect their academic record, except for information that is evaluative, or opinion material compiled solely for the purpose of admission to an academic program, and to challenge contents, which they believe to be inaccurate. An employee of the Registrar’s Office will be present during such an inspection.
- Students will, on submission of a signed request and payment of the current fee, have the right to receive transcripts of their own academic record. These transcripts will be marked “Issued to Student.” Such right will not apply to students in debt to the University, but they will still have the right to inspect and review their records.
- No partial transcripts of records will be issued.
- Disclosure to Faculty, Administrative Officers, and Committees of the University Information on students may be disclosed without the consent of the student to university officials or committees deemed to have a legitimate educational interest.
- Disclosure to Third Parties
- The following information is considered public information and may be released without restriction, unless the student has requested that it be kept confidential: name; period of registration; program of studies; certificates, diplomas, degrees awarded.
- Voting lists will be supplied to the ASU to conduct elections.
- Information will be released without student consent to persons in compliance with a judicial order or subpoena or as required by federal or provincial legislation.
- Necessary information may be released without student consent in an emergency if the knowledge of that information is required to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons. Such requests should be directed to the University Registrar.
- Other than in the above situations, information on students will be released to third parties only at the written request of the student, or where the student has signed an agreement with a third party, one of the conditions of which is access to their record.
- Upon graduation, some personal information will be entered into the alumni database and becomes subject to their privacy policies. The information will be used to notify graduates of university programs and activities, including fundraising and to communicate concerning alumni initiatives, including products or services to alumni. If graduates prefer not to receive such information, they should contact the Alumni Office. This policy is in accordance with the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Regulations.
Transcripts
A student’s transcript of record is considered privileged information and will not be released to any individual outside of the University without the prior written consent of the student. As required by their appointment within the University, academic administrators have access to student academic records.
Transcripts include the following information: a) program(s) of study, major(s); b) advanced standing or transfer credit hours; c) grades for all courses attempted while at Cape Breton University; d) a student’s academic standing.
All transcripts carry only the student’s birth month and day. The year of birth is not included.
Records Retention Policy
The University stores student records in physical (paper) and in electronic (machine-readable) form. All portions of a student’s record that are needed to produce official transcripts are maintained permanently.
Record Changes – Students are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their record through Colleague Student Self-Service or by contacting the Registrar’s Office and completing the required forms.
Registration in courses also consists of maintaining the accuracy of biographical information (i.e., addresses, and telephone numbers, name). Students are expected to make changes through Colleague Student Self-Service as required or to contact the Registrar’s Office for assistance.
