BU uses an electronic student record system (currently a system called Strategic Information Technology Systems or SITS) to host core student records. There is an individual SITS account for each student in relation to a particular BU course which they are undertaking. The information held within SITS includes basic contact and registration information; information you provided when applying to BU; information about your course of study and your academic performance and progress; information about your fee liabilities, financing arrangements, fee payments and other aspects of your contract with BU.
Information about complaints, academic appeals, and submission of exceptional circumstances; any student disciplinary matters, information about any additional support needs you may have and similar information to that held on SITS will also be separately held in electronic and/or hard copy by the Faculty or Faculties in which you are studying. Information about complaints and appeals may be held centrally within our Academic Services and Student Services department as well as in Faculty records. Academic Services handle appeals and complaints relating to a student’s academic studies, any non-academic complaints are handled by Student Services.
We use a number of other electronic record-keeping and communications systems for management and delivery of specific BU services. These include the Brightspace VLE, StarRez in relation to Accommodation Services, MyCareerHub and SID (this is a case management system used for managing student enquiries, complaints etc which draws core data from the SITS record). The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences use a system called Wozzad for managing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) applications. For those undertaking a healthcare placement we use a system called ARC/Placement on the Web. Occupational Health information relating to healthcare placements is held in a system owner by Dorset Healthcare called eOPAS. For Postgraduate Researchers we use a system called ProGRess. For those undertaking an apprenticeship with BU we use a system called BUD.
The University uses a learning analytics (LA) system to help staff support students and understand student engagement and the learning experience, and to help students understand their own engagement with their learning. The learning analytics system will collects and analyses data held in other BU systems such as SITS (the student record system) and Brightspace (the virtual learning environment), and data collected through the Checkin + tool which is used to capture attendance at BU learning sessions: this is further explained in section 3 of this Notice.
BU staff are required by their contracts and BU policies only to access information in these systems where this is required for the purposes of their role within BU and to fulfil our contract with you.
Your personal data will also be held in electronic and/or hard copies within files and email folders in individual BU administration departments. This includes information held by our Finance and Academic Quality departments in relation to their administration of your course and the associated financial arrangements. This information is also held by our admissions departments in relation to the processing of your application. See the Student Recruitment and Admissions privacy notice for further information. It will also include any information generated through your decision to access additional services provided by or through BU, such as Accommodation Services and Additional Learning Support, and other optional services such as those provided by SportBU.