Records

Student Accessibility Services maintains a file for each student who uses our services. This file includes documentation you have provided to us and a record of our work together. These files are maintained for the delivery of services, staff supervision, responding to appeals and complaints, and summarizing/reporting on our activities. The contents of these files are not available to course instructors, academic departments, or student services outside of our own department, with the exception of Library Accessibility Services who can access information as a part of our shared responsibilities.

Uses of Personal Information

We use your personal information to:

• Provide support and academic accommodations to you
• Obtain payment for the programs and services you use through funding provided by the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities
• Plan, administer and manage our internal operations
• Conduct risk management and quality improvement activities
• Engage in teaching and research in accordance with applicable legislation
• Compile statistics
• Retain and destroy records in accordance with the law
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law

Access

Students may access and correct their own personal records, or withdraw consent for some of the above uses and disclosures by contacting us (subject to legal exceptions).

Agreement for Services

When accommodations have been agreed upon between the student and SAS, a document listing the terms of the agreement is generated. Students are typically asked to sign this document and can choose to retain a copy for their records if they wish. If a student is engaged in negotiating accommodations with a faculty member on their own behalf, they may be asked to produce this agreement as evidence that SAS has verified the student's disability-related needs.

When students access services from SAS, we ask for consent to the following statements.

SAS is a part of a larger department called Student Wellness, which includes a number of health-related services. I consent to the sharing of information within the department for the purposes of coordinating services. I further acknowledge that I can revoke this permission, by providing instructions in writing to my SAS Advisor.

I acknowledge that the provision of services and accommodations is a shared responsibility between me and the University of Guelph. I consent to Student Accessibility Services releasing relevant information for the provision of services and accommodations to faculty members and other departments at the University of Guelph who share responsibility in these activities.

Please note: personal information that is not relevant to the requested accommodation (e.g. diagnosis or treatment) will not be shared without additional written consent. Academic record at the University of Guelph will not include any disability-related information. SAS collects and uses personal information under the authority of the University of Guelph Act and is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. 

Parents, Families & Friends

Under normal circumstances, SAS cannot disclose any personal information about our students to parents, families and friends. In the event that a student has a disability where additional support is needed from a family member, we ask our students to sign a release form that gives us permission to disclose information relevant to that support. This agreement can be revoked by the student at any time and must be renewed every twelve months.

Important Information

We take steps to protect your personal information from theft, loss and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure and disposal.

We conduct audits and investigations to monitor and manage our privacy compliance.

We take steps to ensure that everyone who performs services for us protects your privacy and only uses your personal information for the purposes to which you have consented.