DIT Announces New Privacy Policy on University Data

The Division of Information Technology is marking National Data Privacy Day today by announcing both a new UMD policy to establish clear principles and expectations on the appropriate use of university community members’ data, and an accompanying Data Privacy Program web page.

The policy, approved by the University Senate and signed by President Darryll J. Pines last month, establishes the principles by which UMD interacts with individuals' data, and the expectations that individuals can have in how the institution uses their data.

The university Privacy Office will begin drafting standards that will address issues including how UMD shares information with third parties, how privacy and data risk are understood and calculated, and how decisions are made to use specific types of data. Chief Data Privacy Officer Joseph Gridley and university leadership seek volunteers to participate in the drafting of the standards. To get involved, email umd-privacy@umd.edu.

Interim standards include guides for responding to IT security incidents, complying with investigations and requesting exceptions to the policy. Information on the policy as well as interim and finalized standards will appear on the new web page.

National Data Privacy Day commemorates the Jan. 28, 1981, signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. It is an opportunity for individuals to raise awareness about privacy and learn how to manage their personal information, and for organizations to reflect on how they respect their constituents' privacy rights.