Privacy statement & policies

1. APPLICATION 

The University of Fredericton (the “University” or “UFred”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of information that it receives, creates, uses, maintains and discloses while serving our community and constituents.   

This Privacy Statement governs UFred’s collection, use and disclosure of personal information. 

UFred collects, uses and discloses personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5 (“PIPEDA”) and the ten (10) Fair Information Principles stated in Schedule 1 thereto including Accountability, Identifying Purposes, Consent, Limiting Collection, Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention, Accuracy, Safeguards, Openness, Individual Access, and Challenging Compliance.

By visiting our website located at www.ufred.ca (“the website”), you acknowledge that you accept the practices and policies outlined in this Privacy Statement and you hereby consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with this Statement. 

2. COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION  
2.1 Students and Prospective Students

“Personal Information” means any information about an identifiable individual. UFred collects the following types of personal information from students and prospective students: 

• Name and contact information, including address, email address, and phone number; 

• Date of birth; 

• Education and academic history; 

• Professional history; 

• Financial information; 

• Personal health information (if provided); and 

• Social Insurance Numbers of Canadians and Canadian residents (only students) 

UFred collects personal information from students, prospective students and other individuals for the following purposes: 

• Determining admissions eligibility and suitability; 

• Determining eligibility for an honour or award, including an honorary degree, scholarship, prize or bursary; 

• Administering academic services, including course instruction; 

• Contacting students and alumni; 

• Ensuring the safety and security of students. 

The University collects this information directly from individuals through online forms and email and the University’s application procedures. 

2.2 Website Users and Visitors

When visiting the University of Fredericton website, individuals may choose to provide personal information via web form or email when applying for a university program or when requesting information about a program or service. Any personal information that you provide will be protected in accordance with applicable privacy laws and this University of Fredericton Privacy Statement. 

Additionally, students and alumni of the University of Fredericton may log in to secured pages on our learning platform using their unique UFred Student login. The student login and the uniform resource locator of the secure page(s) that were visited may be stored in a log. 

2.3 Information Gathered Automatically 

UFred logs information about internet traffic and behavior on its pages. These logs capture information about visitors. The information gathered is non-personally identifying and is used to help staff understand our Internet traffic to help improve the functionality of our website. 

The information is shared only between university staff, UFred’s parent company IU International University of Applied Sciences, and, on occasion, between university staff and those responsible for UFred-hosted websites. Such third parties are bound by confidentiality agreements with the University.  

In some instances, the Internet Protocol (IP) address of visitors may allow for individual identification. Please consult with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to learn more about their handling procedures for IP addresses and related information. 

2.4 Cookies 

UFred’s website and learning platform site use cookies, which are small bits of information sent from our site to your web browser. Cookies enable our website to remember personal page settings to help you better navigate our site. Your individual browser allows you to set your preferences for accepting or rejecting cookies, and will provide the ability for cookies to be deleted as well. 

We use cookies to personalize content and ads, provide social media features, analyze our traffic, and give you the best possible website experience. We also may share that information with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners and/or vendors. Users have the ability to decline the use of cookies on the UFred website. 

3. STORAGE LOCATION AND TRANSFER OF PERSONAL INFORMATION 

Personal information collected by UFred may be stored and processed outside of Canada in countries such as the United States, Germany, Belgium and other European Union Member States or in accordance with the laws of any other country in which UFred or its affiliated companies maintains facilities. 

UFred and its affiliated companies use Data Transfer Agreements to govern the transfer of personal information between UFred and its affiliated companies in different countries which said Data Transfer Agreements uphold the principle for the protection of the privacy of information consistent with Canadian privacy laws. 

By choosing to provide personal information to UFred or by dealing with UFred, you are consenting to the transfer of your personal information outside of Canada. 

While UFred and its affiliated companies will make reasonable efforts to uphold the principles for the protection of the privacy of personal information consistent with Canadian privacy laws, the personal information may be or become subject to the laws of countries such as the United States, Germany, Belgium and other European Union Member States or the laws of any other country in which UFred or its affiliated companies maintains facilities and may be or become accessible by the Courts, law enforcement and National Security authorities of those countries.  

4. DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION TO THIRD PARTIES

4.1 Service Providers and Business Partners 

UFred may from time to time employ other companies and people to perform tasks on our behalf and need to share your personal information with them to provide the services to you. Unless UFred tells you differently, such third parties do not have any right to use the personal information UFred shares with them beyond what is necessary to assist us. This includes third party companies and individuals employed by UFred to facilitate and support University services, including the provision of technology maintenance services, database management, web analytics and general improvement of the University services. UFred ensures that such third parties agree to maintain the confidentiality of any personal information and data.

Booking appointments for student counselling

We use the Calendly service offered by Calendly, LLC, 88 N Avondale Road #603, Avondale Estates, GA 30002, USA (‘Calendly’) for the purpose of simplified appointment booking for student counselling. When using the service, in addition to the time slots and the information you provide when booking an appointment, we process your display name, email address, preferred language, date and time of use. The legal basis for the processing of your personal data is your consent in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR. The connection to Calendly is only established if you use the booking function offered, which you are not obliged to do. Alternatively, you can choose other contact options for making appointments. Access to your data is granted to UFred employees who provide student counselling and activate slots in Calendly. Calendly is certified in accordance with the Data Privacy Framework.

4.2 Business Transfers

If UFred (or substantially all of its assets) are acquired, or if UFred goes out of business, enters bankruptcy, or goes through some other change of control, personal information may be made available or otherwise transferred to the new controlling entity, where permitted under applicable law. 

4.3 With Your Consent 

If UFred needs to use or disclose any personal information in a way not identified in this Privacy Statement, UFred will notify you and/or obtain your express consent as required under applicable privacy laws. 

4.4 Exceptions 

Where required or permitted under law, UFred may disclose your personal information to third parties without your consent if we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with (either intentionally or unintentionally) our rights or property, other University community members, or anyone else (including the rights or property of anyone else) that could be harmed by such activities. We may disclose personal information when we believe in good faith that such disclosure is required by and in accordance with the law. 

5. SECURITY AND RETENTION 

The security of your personal information is important to the University. UFred uses commercially reasonable efforts to store and maintain your personal information in a secure environment. UFred takes technical, contractual, administrative, and physical security steps designed to protect personal information that you provide to UFred. UFred has implemented procedures designed to limit the dissemination of your personal information to only such designated staff or other permitted persons or companies as are reasonably necessary to carry out the stated purposes UFred has communicated to you. UFred will keep your personal information for as long as it remains necessary for the identified purpose or as required by law, which may extend beyond the termination of our relationship with you. For example, UFred will maintain your academic record even after you are no longer a student at the University. UFred may retain certain data as necessary to prevent fraud or future abuse, or for legitimate business purposes, such as analysis of aggregated, non-personally identifiable data, account recovery, or if required by law. All retained personal information will remain subject to the terms of this Privacy Statement. 

6. ACCESS, CORRECTION AND ACCURACY 

You have the right to access the personal information UFred holds about you in order to verify the personal information UFred has collected in respect to you and to have a general account of our uses of that information. Upon receipt of your written request, UFred will provide you with a copy of your personal information, although in certain limited circumstances, UFred may not be able to make all relevant information available to you such as where that information also pertains to another individual. In such circumstances UFred will provide reasons for the denial to you upon request. UFred will endeavour to deal with all requests for access and modifications in a timely manner.

UFred will make every reasonable effort to keep your personal information accurate and up to date, and UFred will provide you with mechanisms to update, correct, delete or add to your personal information as appropriate. As appropriate, this amended personal information will be transmitted to those parties to which UFred is permitted to disclose your information. 

Having accurate personal information about you enables the University to give you the best possible service. 

7. CHANGES TO THIS STATEMENT 

UFred may amend this Statement from time to time. Use of personal information UFred collects is subject to the Statement in effect at the time such information is collected, used or disclosed. If UFred make material changes or changes in the way UFred use personal information, UFred will notify you by posting an announcement on our Website or sending you an email prior to the change becoming effective. You are bound by any changes to the Statement when you use the Website after such changes have been first posted.

8.  COMPLAINTS

If you wish to make a complaint about the way we have handled your personal information (including if you think we have breached the provisions of PIPEDA), you may do so by contacting us in writing, by mail or email to the address or email address set out at the end of this Privacy Statement.

If a complaint is made, please include your name and contact details such as an email address and telephone number and clearly describe the complaint.  UFred will investigate the complaint and respond promptly. 

If you consider that we have failed to resolve the complaint satisfactorily, you can also complain to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. 

9. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

If you have any questions or complaints regarding this Privacy Statement or UFred’s handling of your personal information, please contact us by email or by mail at:

Tracy Pugh 
University of Fredericton, Registrar 
570 Queen Street, Suite 200
Fredericton, NB E3B 6Z6
tracy.pugh@ufred.ca  

Toll-free: 1-877-454-6232  
International: 506-454-6232 
Fax: 506-455-1675 

Last Updated: Jan. 4, 2024 

COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF STUDENTS' SOCIAL INSURANCE NUMBERS POLICY

Why am I being asked to provide my Social Insurance Number (SIN)?

Effective the 2019 tax year, all designated educational institutions (DEI) are required to provide the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) with students’ social insurance numbers (SIN) on the Tuition and Enrolment Certificate T2202 (formerly the T2202A). T2202 certificates are issued to students who are enrolled during the calendar year in a qualifying educational program.

Lawful Authority to Collect SINs

The Income Tax Act provides lawful authority for the University of Fredericton to collect SINs from students. It also requires DEIs to make reasonable efforts to obtain students’ SIN. To read more about these new changes please click here.

How will SIN information be collected?

Existing Students – When students enroll in their next class they will be sent a secure form from their student support representative. This form will ask students to provide basic information along with their SIN. Forms are designed to pass information securely to the student database and are only accessible by authorized personnel.

New Students – As part of the application and admissions process, students will be asked to fill out a credit card authorization form for processing tuition. On this secure form, students will also be asked to provide their SIN. Forms are designed to pass information to the student database securely and are only accessible by authorized personnel. In the event a new student is submitting payment via an alternative method, a secure form will be sent to the student from their student support representative.

Security and Destruction of SIN Data

All documents, applications, or lists containing an individual student’s SIN will be stored in UFred’s secure student management database and will only be accessible by staff who have authorized access to this type of information.

The CRA recommends that DEI hold a student’s SIN information for 4 years, starting at the end of the calendar year of a student’s final year. At this point the SIN information will be purged from the system.

I am a non-resident of Canada; will I be required to provide a SIN?

Students who are non-residents of Canada will not be required to provide a SIN. The CRA’s definition of a non-resident for tax purposes can be found here.

What if I need to update my SIN?

If you have noticed we have the incorrect SIN or you need to update your SIN, you will need to contact your Student Support representative who will provide you with a secure form.

I do not have a SIN. How can I apply for one?

Information on eligibility and how to apply for a SIN can be found on the Government of Canada’s Employment and Social Development website. You can also find more information by visiting a Service Canada office.

I have misplaced or can’t remember my SIN. What should I do?

One of the simplest ways to access your SIN is to review your most recent Notice of Assessment, provided by the CRA. You can also request a confirmation of SIN from Service Canada. More information can be found on the Government of Canada’s Employment and Social Development website.