Student Academic Files – Graduate

Function/Activity: To document the admission, registration, academic performance, monitoring, advising, examination and convocation of individual students.

Description/Type of Records: Academic reviews, admission and readmission records, applications for deferred exams and medical documentation, applications for degree, applications for leave of absence and medical reports, applications to attend other educational institutions and notices to record, assessments, award applications, comprehenisve exams and papers, correspondence, evaluations, exchange applications and authorization forms, grade appeals with background materials and outcomes, language examinations and results, post-examination reports, progress reports, record of grades, records arrangement for examiners and related to oral examinations, reference letters and verification documents, registration reports and forms, research applications and proposals, samples of student work, scholarship correspondence and reports, transcripts (external and University of Calgary), waivers and rulings, withdrawal forms.

Retention Rules

Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR)	Retention	Disposition
NOTE: Student records scanned into Synergize	1 year from date of scanning	Confidential shred
Registrar’s Office
Registered students:	3 years after convocation OR 5 years after last registration	Confidential shred or delete
Accepted but not registered:	Application + 2 fall sessions	Confidential shred or delete
Student transcripts:	Permanent	Retain in electronic system

Office of Secondary Responsibility (OSR)	Retention	Disposition
NOTE: Student records scanned into Synergize for ALL Offices of Secondary Responsibility	1 year from date of scanning	Confidential shred
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Registered students:	5 years after convocation or withdrawal	Confidential shred or delete
Accepted but not registered:	1 year	Confidential shred or delete
Inadmissable students:	Return to department applied to	Confidential shred or delete
Faculty of Law
Registered students:	3 years after convocation OR 5 years after withdrawal	Confidential shred or delete
Inadmissable students:	1-3 years	Confidential shred or delete
Faculty of Environmental Design
Registered students:	3 years after convocation OR 5 years after withdrawal	Confidential shred or delete
Accepted but not registered & Inadmissible students:	1 year	Confidential shred or delete

Other (Non-OPR’s)	Retention	Disposition
All other Units
NOTE: Student records scanned into Synergize	1 year from date of scanning	Confidential shred
Registered students:	3 years after convocation OR 5 years after withdrawal	Confidential shred or delete
Inadmissable students:	1 year	Confidential shred or delete

Restrictions:

Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR):
In accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the following access restrictions will apply:

1. Main body of records: access restricted to the subject, faculty advisors, the Dean of the faculty, and Registrar’s Office staff assigned the authority to compile, classify, annotate, read, retrieve, transfer or destroy this record series.
2. Sensitive records: access available at the discretion of the Registrar.

Office of Secondary Responsibility (OSR) and Non-OPR’s:
In accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the following access restrictions will apply:

1. Main body of records: access restricted to the subject, faculty advisors, the Dean of the faculty, the department head, and faculty and departmental staff assigned the authority to compile, classify, annotate, read, retrieve, transfer or destroy this record series.
2. Letters of reference and other records created, explicitly or implicitly, in confidence: access available at the discretion of the Dean or department head.

Citations:
All offices:
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, S. 35 (b) for 1-year retention of inadmissible/accepted by not registered files.

Records Management Instructions:
Offices of Primary Responsibility:
Each student file will contain two (2) folders in order to ease the processing of access requests and to ensure the security of personal information in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (s) 38:

1. Main body of records.
2. Sensitive records.

The creation of these folders may be done in a manner convenient to the unit:

• “From this day forward.”
• Retroactively for all active files, or
• On an “as needed” basis.

Transcripts:
Student transcripts are vital records. Originals and copies must be stored in two different locations in case of disaster. A fire- and water-proof cabinet should be acquired to store student transcripts in paper record card form; the microfilm copies of these records will continue to be stored in off-site vault storage. Back-up tapes for e-records are stored in fire-proof vaults in two different locations on campus.

Records Management Instructions:
Offices of Secondary Responsibility (OSR) and Non-OPR’s:
Each student file will contain two (2) folders in order to ease the processing of access requests and to ensure the security of personal information in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (s) 38:

1. Main body of records.
2. Sensitive records.

The creation of these folders may be done in a manner convenient to the unit:

• “From this day forward.”
• Retroactively for all active files, or
• On an “as needed” basis.

The following record series must be retained separately from the student file:

1. Appeals and background materials, letters of complaint.

Approval Information:

• Dr. Gary Krivy, Registrar
• Dr. Brian R. Gaines, Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Dr. Mary-Ellen Tyler, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Design
• Michael Wyle, Dean, Faculty of Law
• Jo-Ann Munn Gafuik, University Archivist
• Bonnie Woelk, University Records Committee (Chair)

17 August 1999
Amended: 18 April 2011