A15: Confidentiality of participant records

Preamble

The CPC College has a legal obligation to protect the individual's right to privacy regarding the personal and academic information in its possession. The Directive as it relates to confidentiality applied in this Directive is based on both the participant's right to privacy and the college's responsibility for the judicious use of participant data.

Directive

The College will regard each participant record as a unique and private document,
maintained in a secure, controlled environment. Access to participant information held in any medium (hard copy, computerized database, microfiche) must observe the principles of confidentiality according to pre-established guidelines. Data is used by the college for record keeping, reporting and analysis purposes only.

A participant's record data is maintained in the Registrar's office following a participant's last course after which time it is purged and archived.

Procedures, roles and responsibilities

1. The term "participant record" refers to the data submitted in support of a participant's admission to the college and the participant's academic history at the college. For further description of the content of the current and permanent records, please see the Appendix A following this directive.
2. Data held in a participant's record, established and held by the Registrar's Office and Training units, is subject to the principles of confidentiality applied in this directive.
3. All requests for information regarding participants will be handled in the context of this directive.
4. When a participant requests access to his/her own record, a validation process takes place. If the participant has contacted the Registrar's office by telephone, he/she must provide key information for verification against the information on file. If the participant has contacted the Registrar's Office in person, he/she must present valid photo identification (ID).
   • General Guidelines
   • 4.1 No information will be released to external third parties without written participant authorization. This includes requests from, prospective employers, police forces, credit bureaus, finance and loan companies, private investigation agencies, banks and similar organizations.
   • 4.2 The original documents on a participant file will not leave the master file, but appropriate copies may be released to College officials when requested in support of administrative or academic services on behalf of the participant.
   • 4.3 Documents from other institutions such as college or university transcripts which are submitted to support a participant's application for admission and/or transfer of academic credit may not be certified and released as part of the college record.
   • 4.4 In all courses, records of attendance as a separate item, do not form part of the official participant record.
   • 4.5 Participants accessing their own file may view the file but may not alter or remove any of its contents.
   • 4.6 Unless unusual circumstances prevail, no grades or certifications shall be released to an individual participant prior to the official release of grades and certifications to all participants.
   • 4.7 The requests from researchers conducting statistical studies must be reviewed by the Registrar's office. These will then be recommended for approval by the CPC Director General or delegate with stipulated conditions that will protect the participant's privacy.

Related directives

Admissions to CPC courses - R02

Date modified:

2018-02-27