MENU

U-Pass Student Transaction Records

Function

Student Services and Records

PIB

RRSDA Number

2014-008

Department

Student Services

Description, purpose and use of records

Records made and received in the administration of the U-Pass BC program, a mandatory program that provides eligible SFU students with access to transit services in the Greater Vancouver Regional District.  

The records relate to the activities of determining student eligibility, processing exemptions, initiating the remission of fees to Translink, and fulfilling reporting requirements to Translink.

Records may include, but are not limited to, the following records: eligibility assessments and U-Pass card transactional records; exemption applications and supporting documents; payment and audit reports; remittance reports sent to Translink; etc.

Electronic records may include, but are not limited to, the following: records stored in U-Pass applications (e.g. U-Pass 2011 and U-Pass Compass); scanned or electronic records stored in shared drives; spreadsheets and electronic reports; email correspondence and attachments; etc.

Exemption decision appeals are considered by the U-Pass BC Appeal Committee. Records generated as part of the appeal process may be found in the records of the Appeal Committee.

Note that with the implementation of the Compass Card, the U-Pass Program will no longer handle or distribute cards and will no longer retain records of card transactions.

Retention periods

Records Active Retention
Semi-Active Retention   Total retention Final disposition
Records as defined in U-Pass BC Agreement: Year reported + 1 year 4 years Year reported + 5 years Destruction
All other records: CY + 1 year Nil CY + 1 year Destruction

Active = Active Retention Period, Keep in Office; Semi-Active = Semi-Active Retention period, transfer to University Records Centre; CY = Current calendar year; CFY = Current fiscal year; CS = Current semester; S/O = Superseded or obsolete; OPR = Office of Primary Responsibility; Non-OPR = All other departments

Authorities

These records are created, used, retained and managed in accordance with the following authorities:

  • University Act (RSBC 1996, c. 468)
  • Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996, c. 165)
  • Universal Transit Agreement (U-Pass BC) signed between South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority, SFU, SFSS and GSS (March 2013)
  • Terms of Reference for U-Pass BC Appeal Committee between SFU, SFSS, and GSS
  • Simon Fraser Student Society Constitution and By-Laws, 2013-04-03
  • Constitution and Bylaws of The Graduate Student Society at Simon Fraser University, February 26 2013

 

Retention rationale

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996, c. 165, s. 31) requires that personal information used to make a decision that directly affects an individual must be retained for at least one year. Records without personal information that provide data necessary to confirm the accuracy of reports submitted to Translink must be retained for five years from the date the report was submitted (U-Pass Agreement, 2013).

 

Retention and filing guidelines

Records are primarily electronic and may be located in database applications or shared drive electronic storage. 

Database records are organized by student ID number. Electronic documents, such as records related to exemption requests, are organized by term and are named according to naming conventions, which may include personally-identifiable information. Paper exemption records are filed by term.

The U-Pass BC agreement defines “records” as "any records held by [SFU] that are reasonably necessary to verify the accuracy of the reports and other information provided to Translink … but does not include any Personal Information (as such term is defined in FOIPPA)" and requires that records meeting this definition be kept for 5 years after they were generated. Records that contain personal information, including student ID, that have been used to make a decision that directly affects an individual must be retained for a minimum of one year to comply with the FOI / POP Act (RSBC 1996, c. 165, s. 31).

Status

RRSDA is in force

Approval Date

12 Sep 2014

Last Revised Date

12 Sep 2014