• Section 1 - Purpose
• Background
• Scope
• Section 2 - Policy
• Disclosure to Students
• Disclosure to Staff and Committees of the University
• Disclosure to Third Parties
• Compliance and Breaches
• Section 3 - Procedures
• Section 4 - Guideline
• Section 5 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) To outline the circumstances in which information may be disclosed to:

1. students about their own records; and
2. third parties about students.

Background

(2) The University collects, holds and uses information about students for the purpose of conducting the business of the University. This includes collecting, holding and using information related to a student’s admission to and enrolment in a course or unit of study at the University. In some instances, the University must provide information to government agencies, such as the Australian Government Department of Education, or where there is a legal requirement for the University to provide it.

(3) The University is subject to the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998. To manage its risk in relation to the provision of information, the University has developed a Privacy Statement that outlines the principles that the University must adhere to when handling student information. Within this legislative and regulatory framework, this Policy outlines the circumstances in which information may or must be disclosed either to or about past or present students of the University.

Scope

(4) This Policy applies to alll student records, regardless of format, held by or on behalf of the University.

Section 2 - Policy

Disclosure to Students

(5) Students of the University have the right to request access to their official records. Students do not have the right to access the records of any other student – past or present.

(6) An employee of the University will be present on all occasions during any inspection by a student of their official record. Students will, on submission of a signed request and payment of the appropriate fee, have the right to receive official transcripts of their own academic record. Students who owe money to the University will not receive copies of their official transcript.

(7) Access to student academic records will be managed through Service Connect.

Disclosure to Staff and Committees of the University

(8) University staff and / or committees may access information held about present and past students for the purpose of conducting the business of the University. This could include, but is not limited to, for purposes associated with a student’s admission, enrolment, attendance and progress through their course of study.

Disclosure to Third Parties

Public Information

(9) The University publishes graduation information each year, including the full name of the graduating student, the award conferred, and the date of conferral. The University regards this as public information.

Non-public Information

(10) Apart from the publicly available information referred to above, the University will not release information about present or past students to third parties without the written consent of the student. This means that requests for information by any third party including, but not limited to, parents, spouses, work colleagues, friends, employers or credit bureaus will not be approved. Information is to be provided to the police and other law enforcement agencies where there is a legal requirement to do so. The University General Counsel must be contacted when such a request is made. Personal information will only be provided to the person who is the subject of the information.

Exceptions

(11) There are limited circumstances where the University may or must release information to a third party, such as:

1. where there is written authority and consent from the student concerned to provide specific information to a specified third party;
2. when the student has signed an agreement with a third party, where one of the conditions is to allow that third party to have access to specific information about them (e.g. financial aid);
3. where in the opinion of one of the following officers the disclosure of specific information is required to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health, safety or wellbeing of the student or other persons:
   1. Registrar;
   2. Head, Workplace Health and Safety;
   3. Head, Student Wellbeing; or
   4. Campus Security Manager.
4. where a request has been made under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 or similar legislation and an exemption does not apply.

(12) There are also limited exceptions where the University must release information to a third party, such as:

1. where the University is required by law to release the information (e.g. in response to a court order or subpoena).

(13) In such cases, the third party will be given information specific to the request / agreement / purpose / court order / subpoena only.

Compliance and Breaches

(14) The University may commence applicable disciplinary procedures if a person to whom this Policy applies breaches this Policy (or any of its related procedures).

Section 3 - Procedures

(15) Nil.

Section 4 - Guideline

(16) Refer to the Release of Student Information Guideline.

Section 5 - Definitions

(17) Nil.