How Alfred University uses student personal information (GDPR Information Privacy Statement)

What is ‘personal information’?

‘Personal information’ means any information which relates to or identifies you as an individual.

What personal information will be processed?

Alfred University will keep a record of the details you provided on your application form, any supporting documents requested as part of your admission and additional details recorded following any interview process. We will also maintain records about your studies at Alfred University, and about your use of the academic and non-academic facilities and services that we offer. This personal information will include data such as your name, home address, date of birth, course studied, fee payments, and information about your examinations, assessments and results.

Your personal information is created, stored and transmitted securely in a variety of paper and electronic formats, including databases such as Banner. Access to your personal information is limited to Alfred University staff who have a legitimate interest in it for the purpose of carrying out their job duties. In addition to this, the University may process some information about you that is classed as ‘sensitive’. This includes information concerning your ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or health/disability that we use for planning and monitoring purposes, or in order to provide care, help or suitable adjustments. Access to, and the sharing of, your ‘sensitive’ personal data is controlled accordance with the “Principle of Least Privilege.”

What is the purpose and legal basis of the processing?

Alfred University will process your personal information for a range of contractual, statutory or public interest purposes, including (but limited to) the following:

1. To deliver and administer your education, record the details of your studies (including any placements with external organizations), and determine/confirm your academic achievements (e.g. results, prizes).
2. Where relevant (e.g. for PhD students), to monitor, evaluate and support your research activity.
3. To administer the financial aspects of your relationship with us and any funders.
4. To deliver IT resources to you including the creation and maintenance of a network and email account.
5. To deliver facilities and services to you (e.g. sport, libraries, accommodation, careers).
6. To enable your participation at events (e.g. functions, graduation).
7. To communicate effectively with you by post, email and phone, including the distribution of relevant newsletters and circulars.
8. To operate security, governance, disciplinary (including plagiarism and academic misconduct), complaint, audit and quality assurance processes and arrangements.
9. To support your training, medical, safety, welfare and religious requirements.
10. To compile statistics and conduct surveys and research for internal and statutory reporting purposes.
11. To fulfill and monitor our responsibilities under immigration and public safety legislation.
12. To enable us to contact others in the event of an emergency (we will assume that you have checked with the individuals before you supply their contact details to us).

We consider the processing of your personal information for these purposes to be either necessary for the performance of our contractual obligations with you (e.g. to manage your education, student experience and welfare while studying at Alfred University), or necessary for compliance with a legal obligation (e.g. visa monitoring), or necessary for the performance of tasks we carry out in the public interest (e.g. teaching and research), or necessary for the pursuit of the legitimate interests of the University or an external organization (e.g. to enable your access to external services). We require you to provide us with any information we reasonably ask for to enable us to administer your student contract. If we require your consent for any specific use of your personal information, we will collect it at the appropriate time and you can withdraw this at any time. Where we ask for any sensitive information, such as that concerning your ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or health/disability, you will normally have the option to refuse your consent by not supplying it.

Who will my personal information be shared with?

Your information is shared, as permitted or required by law, on a considered and confidential basis, with a range of external organizations, including the following:

1. Funders and/or sponsors (including Federal and Student loan entities).
2. The providers of any external/collaborative learning and training placements or fieldwork opportunities.
3. External examiners and assessors, and external individuals involved in relevant University committees or procedures.
4. Relevant Government Departments (e.g. Federal and State Department of Education).
5. Any relevant professional or statutory regulatory bodies.
6. On occasion and where necessary, the police and other law enforcement agencies.
7. On occasion and where necessary, auditors.
8. Companies or organizations providing specific services to, or on behalf of, the University and/or one or more Colleges.

We will include your basic contact details in our internal online directory, which is password-protected and only available to the campus community, including other students and employees.

Other than as set out above, we will not normally publish or disclose any personal information about you to other external enquirers or organizations unless you have requested it or consented to it, or unless it is in your vital interests to do so (e.g. in an emergency situation).

How is my personal information used after I graduate?

After you graduate, a core record of your studies is retained indefinitely so that the details of your academic achievements can be confirmed and for statistical or historical research. Your contact and core personal details are passed to the Development and Alumni Relations office while you are still a student, so that you can be added to the alumni database. You have the right to access the personal information that is held about you by the University. You also have the right to ask us to correct any inaccurate personal information we hold about you, to delete personal information, or otherwise restrict our processing, or to object to processing (including the receipt of direct marketing) or to receive an electronic copy of the personal information you provided to us. Please note that all of these rights are qualified in various ways.

How long is my information kept?

We store your personal information as part of your student record for the duration of your studies (and it may be used as part of our assessment of any future application you make for further studies at Alfred University). Information is only kept as long as there is a legitimate business reason to retain that information.

Who can I contact?

If you have any questions about how your personal information is used, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact Gary Roberts via email or call 607-871-2177.

How do I complain?

If you are not happy with the way your information is being handled, or with the response received from us, you have the right to lodge a complaint with Gary Roberts via email or call 607-871-2177.