Protection of Personal Information

AccessAbility Services (AAS) is committed to maintaining confidentiality to the greatest extent possible when providing academic accommodation and related support services to students with disabilities. 

  • All University staff receiving information follow legislation and university policy including Ontario's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) R.S.O. 1990, c. F. 31 as amended, Policy 46: Information Management, and other legislative requirements. 

  • We take steps to protect your personal information from theft, loss, and unauthorized access, copying, modification, use, disclosure, and disposal. 

  • We manage our privacy compliance to ensure that all staff protect your privacy and only use your personal information for the purposes to which you have consented. 

  • AAS utilizes a web-based accommodation, appointment, and case management system, Accessible Information Management (AIM), that treats all information as Personally Identifiable Information and encrypts it both during transit and when stored at rest.   

  • Personal Health Information (PHI) is stored by the University in a secure manner using a cloud solution with a highly secure environment that offers extensive protection. The University of Waterloo’s cloud storage solution employs robust authentication and authorization controls including two factor authentication (2FA) and policy controls which restrict access based on user roles and permissions assigned. The cloud storage solution has a comprehensive vulnerability management program and regularly releases security patches and updates to improve overall system security.

  • Only AAS staff are authorized to access AAS’ student records.  

  • Records are maintained and destroyed in accordance with the University’s Records Management Program and Classification and Records Retention Schedule (WatClass). 

  • Management of the University’s records is governed by Policy 46 – Information Management, and its principles and practices. Your student profile, including your medical documentation, is securely kept in our database for 10 years after your last contact/end of term. After the retention period, all hard-copy and electronic files of your student record are securely destroyed.  

Go back to Confidentiality & Disclosure of Information web page