UVACollab is considered a general-use data storage service. It is not an appropriate repository for highly sensitive data, including but not limited to the following:

• Social Security numbers
• Passport numbers
• Financial account numbers
• Data protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Review the University Institutional Data Protection Standards (opens new window) for additional information on the University's data sensitivity classifications and recommendations for proper use.

The UVACollab team does not add individuals to sites or otherwise modify site membership without the permission of instructors or site owners due to departmental policies designed to ensure the integrity of all sites in the system. Occasionally, however, individuals require access to a site in which the instructor or site owner is indisposed or no longer affiliated with the University. In these situations, individuals should do the following:  

1. Fill out the electronically stored information (ESI) request form on the Records and Information Management site (opens new window). The link to the form can be found in the Submit a Request section of the page.
2. If the request is approved, RIM will coordinate the fulfillment of the request with the UVACollab team.

To request information on student activity in UVACollab, you will need to fill out the electronically stored information (ESI) request form on the Records and Information Management site (opens new window). The link to the form can be found in the Submit a Request section of the page. RIM will contact the Dean of Students to determine if the request warrants an investigation that requires a student's log data from UVACollab. If so, RIM will coordinate the investigation through appropriate channels.

Many instructors and site owners upload copyrighted content such as book excerpts or journal articles to share with their students or collaborators. We recommend that any individuals who upload copyrighted content into their sites consult the University Library's Copyright and Scholarly Communication Resources (opens new window), particularly the Copyright Guidelines for Instructional Sharing (opens new window), to ensure that their use of this content complies with current copyright laws.

The maxim outlined in the University Library's video Fair Use in Seven Words (opens new window) is a good general rule: "Use fairly. Not too much. Have reasons."

Access to official student and instructor photos in the Roster tool is restricted due to University privacy policies related to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). When a course roster is added to a course site, official photos of the students and instructors in the Roster tool will only be visible to individuals listed as instructors of record for the roster in the Student Information System (SIS).

If individuals require access to the official photos of a course roster in which they are not listed as an instructor of record, we recommend that they contact the appropriate enrollment administrators of the school in which the course is offered (opens new window) and request to be added as an instructor of record.  

In addition to the tools that are currently available in UVACollab, in certain circumstances it is possible to add additional tools to the system. The following steps must be completed before we will consider a new 3rd-party tool for integration:

1. An accessibility review: Request a VPAT or other documentation from the vendor regarding their accessibility compliance. Contact Lori Kressin, UVA's Coordinator of Academic Accessibility, for further guidance.
2. A security review: Refer to the UVA Information Security Data Protection and Procurement FAQs (opens new window) for information and steps to submit your requested software for review.
3. A signed contract: Obtain a contract with UVA Procurement that contains UVA's data protection clause.
4. Communications: Coordinate with the UVACollab team to announce and describe the merits and uses of the new software if and when it is made available to the enterprise.

To begin this process, fill out the Tool Request form on the UVA Learning Tech site (opens new window).