Data Stewardship

The University of Toronto strives to use the institutional data entrusted to its care to support its students, faculty, and staff in their pursuit of the University’s aims described below.

“The University of Toronto is dedicated to fostering an academic community in which the learning and scholarship of every member may flourish, with vigilant protection for individual human rights, and a resolute commitment to the principles of equal opportunity, equity and justice.”1 The University will work to achieve this in accord with its Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Excellence.

Privacy, confidentiality, and security

The University respects the privacy of everyone whose information it holds. For data uses required for an official University purpose, clear and accessible notices will be provided. For optional activities, necessary consent will be sought, consistent with legal requirements and good privacy practice. The University will also use appropriate physical, technical, and procedural safeguards necessary to ensure the confidentiality and security of the data throughout its lifecycle.

Partnership and Inclusivity

Data governance is a collective responsibility. Everyone who manages, uses, or provides data should be a partner in its governance. The development, implementation, and administration of institutional data governance guidelines and procedures should involve the University community, including end-users and data contributors.2

Accountability and responsibility

The collection, use, and maintenance of institutional data should have clear lines of responsibility and accountability.

Transparency

Guidelines and procedures regarding institutional data governance should be freely accessible to members of the University and to the public. In addition, notification about collection, use, availability, and disclosure are important features of transparency.

Integrity

The University’s data governance guidelines and processes should advance uses of institutional data that demonstrate operational, analytical, and ethical integrity, free of actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

Clarity and consistency in access

Institutional data across the University should be subject to clear, consistent, and transparent access guidelines.

Efficiency

University data governance guidelines and procedures should support an environment wherein institutional data are not unnecessarily duplicated. Institutional data should be managed in an efficient fashion, taking into account human, digital, and physical resources.

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1 University of Toronto Governing Council, October 15, 1992, Statement of Institutional Purpose
2 A data contributor is a person or organization/unit that submits data for inclusion in a collection of data