Confidentiality and Privacy Statement

Maintaining file confidentiality is a fundamental value of the Ombudsman’s office. It helps foster trust among applicants and anyone who participates in the various situations and investigations.

The Policy on the student Ombudsman (2500-039) specifically states that the Ombudsman must respect the confidential nature of any information it processes in the performance of its duties, with some exceptions.

This confidentiality statement aims to explain to the members of the university community how the Ombudsman’s office collects, uses, and shares their personal information. We take the appropriate measures to keep your personal information confidential, in accordance with the Directive relative à la protection des renseignements personnels (privacy directive, 2600-094) and the Politique de confidentialité (confidentiality policy), for any personal information collected using technology.

What kind of personal information is collected, why is it collected, and how?

Personal information is any information that relates to a physical person and allows for their identification, whether directly or indirectly.

The Ombudsman team only collects the personal information needed to process your application, including your first and last names, contact information (e-mail or telephone number), gender, nationality, legal status, country of citizenship, academic details (student number, program, etc.), and some notes on the nature of your request, when applicable. When it is deemed essential for assessing your situation, we may ask that you share other personal or sensitive information pertaining to finances, personal or academic history, or physical and mental state, among others.

The collection of such personal information is mandatory. Without this information, we will not be able to process your application.

This information can be shared through our electronic assistance request form, by e-mail, or by telephone.

What are you consenting to?

When you submit an application to our office, you consent that the Student Ombudsman and its team members collect and use your information for the aforementioned purposes.

In the event that we must share your personal information with a third party, we will first seek your consent, subject to the exceptions prescribed by law.

You may at any time withdraw your consent to share your personal information.

Who can access your personal information?

Your information may only be accessed by the members of the Ombudsman team. A small group of team members from Information Technologies Services may have limited access on exceptional occasions, for the sole purpose of providing technical support. All of these individuals are bound by a confidentiality agreement.

With your consent, some information may be shared with Université de Sherbrooke staff members (your faculty secretary, vice-dean, academic coordinator, psychosocial worker, etc.) in order to process your application, and whenever necessary in the performance of their duties.

Keeping of personal information

The personal information collected as part of your application, as well as the information that will subsequently be recorded in your file, will be kept for as long as is necessary to achieve the purposes for which it was collected, in accordance with the rules governing the preservation schedule of archival services, and in accordance with applicable laws, pursuant to section 6.3 of the Policy on the student Ombudsman (2500-039) and section 6.4 of the Directive relative à la protection des renseignements personnels(privacy directive, 2600-094).

Access to and rectification of your personal information

Our team rigorously and accurately processes the information received in the course of its duties.

You may invoke your right to access your file and have any personal information rectified, if applicable, by sending a written request by e-mail to the privacy manager at rprp@USherbrooke.ca.

For more information, visit https://www.usherbrooke.ca/decouvrir/a-propos/documents-officiels/acces-information.

This statement came into effect in October 2024.