This notice explains how MacEwan University collects, uses and shares personal information relating to applicants as well as prospective, current and former students, including student rights in relation to their own personal information.

In this notice:

• Personal information means any recorded information that can identify a student (whether alone or combined with other data), regardless of the format or media on which the data is stored. This includes information that can identify a student when combined with other data that is held separately but does not include information that has been manipulated so that one can no longer be identified from it (anonymous data).
• Sharing means any activity relating to personal information, including collection, use, disclosure, retention, and destruction.

Changes to this notice

The university may update this information at any time and may provide students with further notices on specific occasions where the university collects and uses personal information. Students should visit the Privacy and Information Management website regularly to take notice of any changes. However, where any changes affect student rights and interests, the university will make sure to bring this to students’ attention and clearly explain what these changes mean.

How we collect your personal information

The university may collect personal information in several ways, including:

• Personal information provided when an individual expresses interest in applying to the university (e.g. by booking a place on an open house day)
• Personal information when an individual applies to be a student at the university (e.g. by applying online through ApplyAlberta)
• Personal information provided when an individual registers as a student at the university
• Personal information provided by a student throughout the course of their studies or relationship with the university (e.g. participating in institutional surveys)
• Personal information provided by a student when they communicate with the university by telephone, email or via the MacEwan website and social media (e.g. when an individual contacts any member of the MacEwan University staff to make an enquiry or raise a concern)
• Personal information collected or observed over the course of studies, including student use of university resources, services and systems, and other interactions with the university
• Personal information from third parties in the course of the application and admissions use, or during the course of studies (e.g. other institutions that deliver collaborative programs with the university, government departments, and previous or current school, college, university or employer who may provide a reference about a student or who may sponsor studies)

The university may also collect, or a student may choose to provide, the following types of more sensitive information:

• Information revealing race or ethnicity, visible minority status, political affiliation, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or preferences (whether indicated by gender or gender identity)
• Information about health, including genetic, disability or medical condition

These types of personal information require the university to take additional steps to ensure security and confidentiality.

Types of personal information used

Personal information that the university may use includes:

• Unique university student number and other examples of unique system Dis or personal identification numbers (e.g. Alberta Student Number (ASN), passport number, social insurance number (SIN), myStudentSystem ID)
• Contract information (e.g. name, marital status, address, date of birth, phone numbers and email addresses)
• Photos, video footage with a student’s likeness, audio recordings
• Information provided as part of an application to study at the university, or created during the application use
• Financial information
• Attendance information (for teaching and pre-registration events)
• Visa and immigration information (including visa and passport details)
• Academic marks and progress
• Information provided in relation to extenuating circumstances, appeals and complaints
• References
• Disciplinary information
• Information regarding hobbies and interests
• Other personal information relating to academic support

Personal information provided by you about others

A student may provide the university with personal information about other individuals (e.g. emergency contact details and information of a family member). Students should notify the relevant person that they are providing contact details about to the university as their listed emergency contact.

How the University uses personal information about you

The University may use personal information (including sensitive personal information) about you for the following purposes:

• administration of applications (for example, receiving and using forms and applications, transcripts, assessments of applications, offers of admission)
• educational administration (for example, program and course registration, assessment of on-going academic status and standing, timetabling, scheduling of exams, assessing eligibility for financial aid and awards)
• administration of services for students (for example, booking a counselling session through Wellness and Psychological Services, receiving accommodations through Services to Students with Disabilities)
• administration of campus services to students (for example, registering a locker, Sport and Wellness membership, monthly parking, accommodations in Residence, ordering textbooks through the Bookstore)
• institutional analysis and planning purposes (using the information to evaluate progress toward strategic goals, to inform and support decision making, priority setting, long range planning, reporting official university data to faculty, staff, students, provincial and federal governments, external institutions and agencies and the general public, etc.)
• administrative research and statistical analysis in support of provision of education and general administration of the University (for example, to improve University programs, services and supports to students)
• research involving human subjects (only with Research Ethics Board approval and participant consent)
• provision of library and information services (for example, administration of membership, cards, loans and fines)
• to determine eligibility for services and supports available to current University students (for example, the UPass program)
• on-going communications from the University regarding University business and activities
• promotion of the University (for example, providing information about programs or services that may be of interest to you, and events hosted, co-hosted or supported by the University on and off-campus)
• provision and maintenance of IT Resources (for example, email accounts and internet access)
• security and crime prevention/detection (for example, the use of CCTV recording, security incident reports)
• provision and management of University owned property for students
• auditing compliance with the University’s legal and regulatory obligations and policies
• handling complaints, appeals and disciplinary actions

The University may share information in de-identified or aggregate form without limitation.

Legal Authority for using your personal information

The university will only use personal information when permitted to do so by law. Most commonly, the university will use personal information:

• In the delivery of post-secondary education and services once a student has enrolled
• To comply with the university’s legal obligations (e.g. complying with immigration health and safety law, preventing and detecting crime, assisting the police and other authorities with investigations)
• Where necessary for legitimate interests or the interests of a third party provided the student’s interests and rights do not override those interests (e.g. monitoring the effectiveness and performance of the university’s teaching, promoting equality and diversity, providing administrative and management services and recovering monies owed to the university)
• To protect students’ vital interests or those of another person (e.g. where the university knows or has reason to believe that the student or another individual may suffer harm)

In circumstances where the student has a genuine choice as to whether the university should use their personal information, consent will be requested. The method used to obtain consent will depend on the scope and content of that purpose.

Where the lawful ground relied upon by the university to use any personal information is consent, the student will have the right to withdraw consent at any time without having to give any reason. However, if the student does so, the university may not be able to provide some or all of its services or the provision of those services may be affected. Where this is the case, the student will be notified accordingly.

In relation to sensitive types of personal information, the university may request a student’s explicit consent unless a condition applies which allows for the use of such personal information without doing so.

Sharing your personal information with third parties

Where there are lawful grounds for doing so, the university may share students’ personal information with the following third parties:

• Individuals employed or engaged by the university, to the extent necessary to perform their duties
• Students’ Association of MacEwan University (SAMU) (limited to what is necessary for its operation and services—e.g. personal information required to obtain health and dental benefits, create voters’ lists for student elections, manage the U-Pass program, etc.)
• External parties assisting with admissions or examination
• Agents assisting the university with international admissions (limited to what is strictly necessary for the performance of the agent’s role)
• Internal and external auditors
• External examiners
• Other education institutions, partners or research organizations where a student’s program is being run collaboratively, or where such parties host students for elements of their program (e.gt. other universities, schools, practicum placements, industry bodies)
• Third parties performing administrative functions on behalf of the university
• Debt collection agencies—when students have not paid fees that they owe
• Police and other investigative agencies—only where the disclosure of personal information would assist with the investigation of a crime or other alleged misconduct, and such disclosures are necessary and proportionate to the aims of the investigation
• The government and local authorities during information gathering exercises where the university is legally obliged to provide data
• External accommodation providers—where student accommodation is provided on behalf of the university
• For archival purposes in the public interest, and for historical research and statistical purposes
• Potential employers and other education institutions—to confirm if a student has graduated, the date of graduation, confirmation of an award, and the name of the certificate, diploma, or degree obtained (this is considered public information)

Where the university uses third parties to manage personal information on its behalf, a written agreement will be put in place to ensure that any personal information shared will be held in accordance with the requirements of applicable privacy legislation and that such vendors have appropriate security measures in place in relation to personal information.  All third parties are subject to a Privacy and Security Assessment (PSA) by MacEwan prior to acquisition of programs or services.

Parents, family members and guardians are considered to be third parties and personal information will not be disclosed to such persons unless consent is provided, or the disclosures otherwise made in accordance with law.

The university may need to share personal information with a regulator or to otherwise comply with the law.

How the University keeps your personal information secure

The university has put in place appropriate technical and organizational security measures to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in any unauthorized way or altered or disclosed. In addition, the university limits access to personal information to the persons and organizations described above who have a need to access it. The university has an incident response plan to deal with any suspected personal information privacy and security breach. 

Students must also be aware of their responsibilities concerning the privacy and security of information and IT resources, and adhere to any applicable university policies, standards and procedures.

How long the University will retain your personal information

The university may only retain information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to satisfy any legal, regulatory, accounting or reporting requirements.

Specified retention periods are applied to information in the custody and/or control of the university. In setting these retention periods, the university has considered:

• The nature, sensitivity and volume of the personal information
• The potential risk arising from the university’s continued retention of the information
• The purposes for which the university may use personal information
• Whether the university is required to retain any personal information by law or in accordance with its legitimate interests

In some cases, the university may anonymize personal information so that it can no longer be identified with the individual, in which case the university may retain such data indefinitely.

Alumni

On graduation, students will automatically become members of the university alumni and may receive information relating to alumni activities, such as news, events and fundraising opportunities. There is further information available about alumni benefits on the Alumni Office website. To opt out of receiving such information please send an email to alumni@macewan.ca.

Questions or comments

Any questions or comments regarding this notice or the use of personal information can be directed to the Privacy and Information Management Office at MacEwan University by email at privacy@macewan.ca or by phone at 780-497-5423.