As we reflect on Data Privacy Month, we would like to take a moment to recognize the community that entrusts us with their personal information and to reaffirm our commitment to the UC San Diego Privacy Principles. We strive to be good stewards of the data entrusted to us by our students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents, and research participants. Protecting privacy supports our shared values of academic integrity, intellectual freedom, autonomy, safety, and mutual respect.
The UC Statement of Privacy Values reminds us that personal information should be protected throughout its lifecycle and used only for legitimate, well-defined, and clearly communicated purposes that advance our education, research, and service missions. These principles encourage us to practice data minimization, be transparent about how data are used, follow the UC Records Retention Schedule, and thoughtfully limit disclosures to appropriate and authorized situations.
Consistent with these principles, personal data should be accessed and shared with care and only when there is appropriate authorization and a clear, mission-related purpose. Limiting access to individuals with a defined need-to-know and right-to-know, and avoiding secondary uses of data without approval, helps support responsible data stewardship across campus. Disclosures of administrative personal data outside UC San Diego should be made only by authorized individuals and in alignment with the UC San Diego Privacy Principles.
Whenever possible, we aim to use masked, aggregated, or anonymized data. As a reminder, even when individuals are not directly identifiable, certain analyses can unintentionally reveal sensitive information about individuals or their affiliations. For example, highly detailed breakdowns of small groups, such as placement outcomes for a narrowly defined cohort, can inadvertently make individual results identifiable. If you are uncertain whether a particular use or presentation of data is appropriate, our offices are available to help assess and provide guidance.
Please join us in recognizing Data Privacy Month and in continuing to be thoughtful, responsible users of our community’s data. More information about privacy on campus and educational opportunities is available through the
Office of the Registrar and the Campus Privacy Office.
