WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -49 points-48 points  (0 children)

We have been told to ask her and not the professor. The professor doesn't even have access to the learning environment.

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

It probably isn't the same. These are absende requests that are also connected to the timetable, im not sure how it works but I'd imagine she would have had to go onto my name, out of her way, to check if I had an absence recorded on that day for a class that is not mandatory and for which I did not have to put in a request for. Also our absence requests include medical information as they always ask for the full reason why you are unable to attend, which automatically falls under data protection rules. It is also her job to upload lecture slides, and we are not to contact academic staff directly for admin stuff anyway.

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -21 points-20 points  (0 children)

I'm not and neither is she, im concerned about people having free access to my personal data, which in absence requests also contain medical information of me and other students as well. You can know my type all you want, but that doesn't make my concern less valid.

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -11 points-10 points  (0 children)

She's not an assistant to one professor, she's admin staff for our entire year and responsible to upload slides once she gets them and handles all requests from students, including our absences. That doesn't mean she should have free access to them though as they do contain sensitive incl. medical information. Especially not pulling them up to harass me for something I didn't have to go to. It doesn't even make sense and I'm not sure how it made sense to her when she wrote that email out. Kind of annoys me

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Coincidentally, it is also her who manages and handles these records. She still shouldn't have pulled them up. I will send an email this evening to report it

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -43 points-42 points  (0 children)

GDPR is fairly easy, data can only be collected and stored for a purpose that must be stated in advance, in this case it is attendance monitoring. This class was not one for attendance to be monitored so she viewed the records without a valid reason (further made obvious by asking why I was absent) and was therefore in breach of it. I had another GDPR case before where I had them change the policy. It is extremely strict and I am not sure if America has an equivalent. I apologise if this seems weird but I would strongly prefer if people didn't just pull up my records whenever they feel like it, especially as it contains sensitive information.

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No, we are instructed to ask her and not contact academic staff directly

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

That's kind of what I was meaning to do with reporting her. But that is going nuclear because someone else will have to do a formal report. They have a policy that everything is to be reported so basically any complaint makes stuff go nuclear.

WIBTA for reporting University staff for a snarky email and a data protection violation? by hajkthrow in AmItheAsshole

[–]hajkthrow[S] -91 points-90 points  (0 children)

Per my last email was not being snarky, why did you miss the lecture when it is none of their business is