The security model for VLEs / governors using VLE

[theriver]

Hi there

I am struggling with this one slightly.

Does anyone have their governors use the VLE as a document repository, and would they care to tell what is saved there and most importantly, how security is configured?

As I was working this through I thought first of meeting minutes - it's an obvious place to store meeting minutes. However some are of course confidential, even from other governors . . . . .

So, before I start drawing out horrible looking document trees on the back of an envelope (I don't smoke so no fag packet is to hand) I though I'd ask if anyone has done this before and found it impossible or if they've got good practice they'd be willing to share?

[leco]

The Governors do indeed have access to the school VLE. The Chair of Governors is the owner of the Room, has permission to create sub groups and attach members to those. I believe documents are stored in the room, but am unsure about security permissions as these would be set by the Chair. As administrator I have access to everything of course, but I would only enter the room if a problem was reported, as I understand the confidentiality issues. I have even turned off my view of the room in my Today page, just in case there's something posted that I shouldn't see.

[booggerboy]

We've been setting up governor accounts inside a sub-platform to which only they (plus top level admin) have access. But either documents are public to all govs, or private. Private files can be shared between users however, but this is done on a per-file basis.

I work for a platform provider btw - so any requests for how this should work will be greatfully recieved!

bb

[theriver]

We've been setting up governor accounts inside a sub-platform to which only they (plus top level admin) have access. But either documents are public to all govs, or private. Private files can be shared between users however, but this is done on a per-file basis.

I work for a platform provider btw - so any requests for how this should work will be greatfully recieved!

bb

The basic problem is that the minutes of the governing body are for the most part public property, but should be confidential when discussing matters deemed confidential, or named individuals.

So you say, OK, we'll make the governors area restricted, and they can hand out whatever they need to - however, 'named individuals' can also include individual governors (an easy example is staff governors) - so you can end up with a situation where the minutes need to be kept even from certain governors.


While it's possible to achieve with file level permissions, it is of course an enormous administrative faff.

One school I know of gets round this by just keeping the public record stuff electronically, and the confidential stuff gets locked in a box in a dark room - while I hate the idea, I am coming round to accepting that this may just have to be the way it is.

[booggerboy]

Sounds like it wouldbe easier to encrypt each document and only give certain gov's the key. That way all docs can be hosted on the platform, without worry of who can access them. Most could have the same key - so it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

bb

[apoth0r]

Aren't all governors subject to a confidentiality agreement anyway?
Why would you keep things hidden from staff governors who are bound by the same terms as say another non-staff governor?
The practice doesn't sound right, although I agree on the use of a Learning Platform for use by the governors, brings centralisation and a lot less faff then is currently happening in many schools.

[jcollings]

We have a SharePoint vle and it has a governors area. Document libraries are set up for the various committes. All governors have access to the governors portal. The Head seems happy enough that all governors can see all areas of the governor portal.

One or 2 of them have even emailed to say how much they like the system.