The UVUSA Student Council voted unanimously to approve several changes to university policy regarding digital transformation and university-sponsored foreign travel.
Meeting on Feb. 2, the council heard from Joe Belnap, Senior Director of Special Projects for IT, who spoke about changes being made to policies 441-443 and 457. These policies are being done away with or consolidated for simplicity.
“If 442 went away tomorrow, no one would notice,” Belnap told the council. Belnap later goes into updates to three other policies, 446-448.
Policy 446 deals with privacy and disclosure of student/employee data. In the updated policy, it clarifies that the university can “collect, process, and transfer various types of personal data to provide services, administer programs, and perform contractual obligations.” The policy also specifies that the university is the owner of all university information assets and subject to public record.
Policy 447 deals with information security. According to Belnap, this policy was made in order to have a formal policy on information security. Finally, policy 448 changes definitions and clarifies appropriate uses of the universities internet and web resources.
The Student Council then heard from Baldomero Lago, UVU’s chief officer over international, about changes to university policy 252, which concerns foreign travel.
“The whole intent of this policy is to protect you,” Lago stated. “And to protect anyone who is traveling abroad.”
Updates to the policy come after the restrictions of COVID-19 have begun to be lifted. Major updates include terminology, procedures and policy around guests. The latter two received the most overhaul; major changes include restriction on where travel abroad programs can happen, prohibiting spouses and family members from traveling with students or participating in student programs, and the requirement for travel issuance through the university.
These policies were all passed unanimously by the student council.
In other news, an update was given by the council on events like the recently held drag show, in which the performers reportedly received $1,700 in tips, according to the council. Lexi Soto, UVUSA Student Body President, also reminded council members to not speak about the upcoming election in the UVUSA offices.
For more information about student council happenings, be sure to check out the UVUSA website. The Student Council will be meeting Feb. 9 to get more details from the athletics department in regards to student fees.
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