Policies and Guidelines

Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

Personal information provided on your application and in your file is collected pursuant to the University Act, R.S.B.C. 1979, c.419 as amended, and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.B.C., 1992, C.61, as amended, S. 26. The information will be used for the purposes of admission, registration and other decisions on your academic status at the university. Information may also be provided to University student and alumni bodies. Information may also be used for research purposes, including research through the records of the BC Educational Records Linkage File. In all cases when used for research individual identities will not be disclosed.

Implications for Students
You may need a letter of reference for summer employment or for a position upon graduation. During the your academic program, identify potential referees among your faculty and/or clinical instructors. Ask if they will serve as personal referees in the future if needed.

If the faculty member involved is no longer a school employee you will need to contact that faculty directly. The school legally cannot act as an intermediary. Because of this, it is important to make arrangements during the academic program regarding how to contact those faculty members from which you might want to obtain personal future references.

REMEMBER - you must give permission in writing (original signatures only - no faxes) to your referees telling them what information they may release about you and to whom they may give it.

In order to protect your privacy, as well as that of faculty who write on your file, no information about you that is contained in your School of Nursing file will be released to any one outside the University. Although the University can release academic transcripts related to you time in the School upon request at any time in the future, the School cannot make up letters of reference based on instructor comments about you nor can we summarize or give copies of clinical evaluations to potential employers. With your written permission we can only confirm the dates you attended the School of Nursing.

For more information, see VP Students: Student Rights and Responsibilities or Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy at UBC

Approved July 2002, Faculty Caucus, UBC School of Nursing