Retention & disposal of student assignments or exams
Purpose
This policy provides for the protection of personal information created in the undertaking of student assignments, course work, papers, and examinations.
Scope
This policy applies to all academic departments and faculty that oversee and direct student assignments and examinations.
Policy
1. Retention
- Student exams and assignments are University records when retained by faculty and according to FOIPOP are considered the personal information of the student.
- Marked course assignments or examinations are returned to students or retained by the course instructor at his/her discretion. Final examinations are usually retained by the University.
- The University retains this information for at least one year after using it so that the student has a reasonable opportunity to obtain access to it in case of a dispute. Before disposing of the information faculty are required to maintain these records for one year, i.e., from the semester in which the exams were written and evaluated.
- In the event that students wish to appeal a grade they should be informed to retain assignments and exams that are returned to them.
- If an exam or assignment is used as evidence in a grade appeal or some other dispute resolution procedure, it must be kept for one year from the date on which a grade appeal is decided.
2. Disposal
- University records must be disposed of in a manner fitting to the sensitivity of the information.
- Student exams or assignments contain sensitive personal information. They are to be physically destroyed so that the information cannot be reconstructed or retrieved.
