Confidentiality & Student Disclosure
Dalhousie faculty and staff must adhere to FOIPOP and PIIDPA provincial legislation both of which govern the protection of the privacy of personal information.
Student accessibility plans are disclosed to parties outside of the Student Accessibility Centre and Student Success Centre only when it is necessary for the plan’s effective implementation.
Students are not required to disclose to you the nature of their accessibility plan and whether their plan is related to disability or another protected characteristic. If you have questions about how to support the student’s accessibility plan, contact the student’s advisor.
Protecting student privacy
- Ensure that student accessibility plan notifications are safely secured in your email platform and are not visible to the public eye.
- Engage students outside of class time (never in class) to discuss their accessibility plan and/or other potential supports.
- Do not ask a student to disclose medical or other information related to disability or other protected characteristic.
- Should students choose to share information about their disability, do not disclose to others without explicit written permission.
There exists a certain dynamic between a student and professor. What is intended to be well-meaning may end up placing the student in a difficult situation. While students have the right not to answer questions about their disability or other protected chracteristic, they may choose to do so based on obligation instead of being based on trust and relationship building.