ARST 575B: Topics in the Management of Records: Administering Freedom Of Information And Protection of Privacy Legislation -- COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Program: Master of Archival Studies
Year: Winter Session 2005-2006, term 1
Course Schedule: Tuesdays, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Location: TEF 320
Instructor: Ian Forsyth
Office location: TEF 321
Office phone: 604-291-3262
Office hours:Tuesday 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 4:30-5:00 p.m
E-mail address: iforsyth@sfu.ca

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 Course Goals: To prepare you to administer an information access and privacy program within public and private sector organizations. To provide you with an understanding of the access and privacy policy issues and practices that affect record keeping systems.

Course Objectives:

Course Topics:  

Format of the course: One three-hour class per week, which may include lectures, class discussion, breakout groups, case studies, field trip, guest speaker.

Required and Recommended Reading:

The required readings listed in the weekly schedule should be read before the class that week. Lectures will highlight only crucial or difficult aspects of the weekly topic, and in-class discussion and exercises will assume that the reading has been done.

Required:  

Note: The regulations in force under the Act are available in electronic format through the Internet computer network at http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/F/323_93. htm

• British Columbia . Ministry of Management Services. Corporate Privacy and Information Access Branch. Policy and procedures manual: Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy. Victoria, B.C.: Ministry of Management Services, Corporate Privacy and Information Access Branch, 2002. Issued in electronic format through the Internet computer network at http://www.mser.gov.bc.ca/foi_ pop/manual/ToC.htm

Course Assignments, Due dates and Weight in relation to final course mark:

Assignment	Due Date	Weight
Class participation	–	10%
In-class group assignments	Sept. 20; Oct 4 & 11; Nov. 15	15%
Term paper	Oct. 25	35%
Presentation	Nov. 22 & 29	40%

Course Schedule:

Date	Topics	Assignments Due
Week 1 Sept. 6	Introduction to course Information and privacy rights assessment Evolution of information and privacy codes
Week 2 Sept. 13	Models for managing an information and privacy program	Learning style self-assessment
Week 3 Sept. 20	Purpose and scope of the law	Group assignment #1
Week 4 Sept. 27	Information rights and FOI request management process – engaging the applicant or researcher Review of access to information and privacy decisions or practices
Week 5 Oct. 4	Routine disclosure and active dissemination of information Exceptions to the right of access to information	Group assignment #2
Week 6 Oct. 11	Protection of privacy standards (part 1)	Group assignment #3
Week 7 Oct. 18	Protection of privacy standards (part 2)
Week 8 Oct. 25	Opportunities created by information and privacy law to improve the quality and management of records and record-keeping systems	Term paper
Week 9 Nov. 1	Field trip to Simon Fraser University Archives and Records Management Department
Week 10 Nov. 8	Impact of technology on information and privacy administration (part 1) Promoting awareness about access to information and privacy
Week 11 Nov. 15	Impact of technology on information and privacy administration (part 2)	Group assignment #4
Week 12 Nov. 22	Student presentations on information access and privacy laws	Team presentations
Week 13 Nov. 29	Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of an organization’s information and privacy program	Team reports

UBC/SLAIS Academic Regulations and Course Policies:

Attendance: The calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”

Regular on-time attendance is required of students at all scheduled class meetings including lectures and field trip. Any absence requires notification to the School or the instructor, if possible in advance. Any extended absence must be explained in writing, accompanied by a medical certificate if appropriate. Please refer to the UBC Calendar.

Copies of all handouts distributed during missed classes will be provided. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain notes from another student in the class.

Classroom Participation: Your comments and questions are encouraged and welcome in class. Classroom discussion and participation in group assignments is an important and required part of this course. Students will be expected to share their ideas and opinions.

Class Internet Discussion List: Each of you must sign-up for the class Internet discussion list. From whatever email account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject line blank]:

Address – To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca
Message – subscribe a-575b
end

I will use this list to make announcements to you outside class. You are also welcome to post comments/questions to the list if relevant to other students. For particular problems or questions you should e-mail me directly at iforsyth@sfu.ca, see me in my office, or call me.

Academic Assignments: Students must retain a copy of all submitted assignments in case of loss. All assignments must be typewritten and double-spaced.

Academic Standing: The passing grade for any single course is 60%. Written work may be refused a passing mark if it is noticeably deficient in English. Please refer to the UBC Calendar, SLAIS Academic Regulations.

Evaluation: Evaluation will be according to the Faculty of Arts and SLAIS grading policies. All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/RESOURCES/slais-marking.htm.

Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English. Correct spelling, grammar, and syntax will be considered in evaluating all written work.

Late Assignments: The School’s programs prepare professionals to work in situations that are often governed by time constraints. Late submission of an assignment, term paper, etc. will normally result in a grading penalty unless an unforeseen emergency excuses the delay. Failure to submit an assignment by the due date will result in the loss of 5% of the assignment’s value for each day beyond the deadline. Extensions are granted only for valid medical, emotional or personal reason and not because of academic workload or conflicts. Documentation will be required.

Style Manual: The following style manual is recommended for bibliographic and footnote citations: Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6 th ed., rev. John Gossman and Alice Bennett. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996.

Academic Concession: During your time in this course, if you encounter medical, emotional or personal problems that affect your attendance or academic performance, please notify me, as well as the Faculty of Arts Academic Advising Office. Please refer to the UBC Calendar for a more thorough discussion of academic concession.

Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is unacceptable conduct. Please read the UBC Calendar for the University’s policy on plagiarism. It is the student’s responsibility to read and understand the section on Student Discipline in the Calendar. All incidences of academic dishonesty will be referred to the President’s Office.

Feedback and Suggestions: I welcome your feedback and suggestions at any time during this course. Please speak with me outside of class, during office hours or write me a note. Mid-way through the course, I will ask you to complete voluntarily and anonymously an evaluation form on how well the course content and my teaching is meeting your learning needs.