General principles
Under the authority of the University of Waterloo Act, 1972, the University of Waterloo collects, uses, maintains, discloses and disposes of information for the purposes of operating the programs and business functions of the university in compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) R.S.O. 1990, c. F. 31 as amended, other applicable privacy legislation, Waterloo's Notice of Collection, as well as University policies and guidelines. Management of the University's records is governed by Policy 46 - Information Management, and its principles and practices.
As a publicly-funded institution which operates with a high degree of autonomy and self-regulation, the University of Waterloo affirms the importance of the principle of freedom of information and the obligation to conduct its operations as much as possible in ways which are open to public scrutiny. The university is also committed to the protection of the privacy of those who work and study at the university.