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Tabor Portfolios is powered by Mahara. Mahara is provided freely as open source software (under the GNU General Public License). In brief, this means that you are allowed to copy, use and modify Mahara provided you agree to:

  • provide the source code to others,
  • not modify or remove the original license and copyrights and
  • apply this same license to any derivative work.

 

Mahara ePortfolio Retention and Offboarding Policy 

  1. Purpose

This policy outlines how Mahara ePortfolio accounts and content are managed when users leave Tabor College. The aim is to ensure responsible data stewardship, protect user content, and maintain an efficient and secure Mahara environment.

This policy establishes a consistent process for reviewing inactive accounts, notifying former users, and suspending or removing accounts where appropriate.

  1. Scope

This policy applies to all Mahara users associated with Tabor College, including:

  • Students
  • Staff
  • Alumni with retained accounts
  • Any other users granted access to the Tabor Mahara system
  1. Principles

The management of Mahara accounts will follow these principles:

  • User ownership of content: Users are responsible for exporting or downloading their portfolio content if they wish to retain it after leaving Tabor.
  • Reasonable opportunity: Former users will be given reasonable notice and instructions before account suspension or deletion.
  • Data minimisation: Accounts belonging to individuals who are no longer affiliated with Tabor will not be retained indefinitely.
  • Cautious removal: Where possible, accounts will be suspended rather than immediately deleted to reduce the risk of unintended data loss.
  • Gradual review: Historical accounts will be reviewed gradually to ensure careful verification and communication with users.
  1. Account Lifecycle

Mahara accounts will typically follow the lifecycle below.

Status

Description

Active

User is currently enrolled or employed at Tabor and has full access to Mahara.

Former User

User has left Tabor but still has an existing Mahara account.

Notified

User has been contacted and provided instructions to export their portfolio content.

Suspended

Login access is disabled but portfolio content remains stored in the system.

Deleted

Account and associated content are permanently removed.
  1. Offboarding Process

When a user leaves Tabor College:

5.1 Identification of Former Users

DLIT team will periodically review Mahara user accounts and compare them with current records in Paradigm.

Accounts identified as belonging to former students or staff will be flagged for review.

5.2 User Notification

Where an account remains active after a user has left Tabor:

  1. The user will be contacted via their last known email address.
  2. The email will:
    • Notify them that their Mahara account is still active.
    • Provide instructions for exporting their portfolio.
    • Provide a deadline for action.

Users will typically be given at least 30 days' notice before further action is taken.

5.3 Suspension of Accounts

If no response is received after the notification period or email address is not available:

  • The Mahara account may be suspended.
  • Suspension prevents login but preserves the user’s portfolio content.

Suspension allows accounts to be restored if required.

5.4 Deletion of Accounts

Accounts may be permanently deleted where:

  • The user has left Tabor and has not responded to notification.
  • The account has remained suspended for an extended period.
  • The account is no longer required for institutional purposes.

Deletion removes all associated portfolio content from the system.

  1. Review of Historical Accounts

As part of system maintenance, DLIT may conduct periodic reviews of historical Mahara accounts.

Given that Mahara accounts may date back several years, these reviews will be conducted gradually and carefully, prioritising older accounts first.

Where possible:

  • Accounts belonging to confirmed former users will be contacted before suspension.
  • Users will be provided with guidance on exporting their portfolios.
  1. Responsibilities

DLIT Services

DLIT Services are responsible for:

  • Managing Mahara user accounts
  • Reviewing inactive or historical accounts
  • Communicating with former users regarding account status
  • Suspending or deleting accounts in accordance with this policy

Users

Users are responsible for:

  • Maintaining copies of their own portfolio content
  • Exporting their portfolios if they wish to retain them after leaving Tabor
  1. Data Backup

Mahara system data is backed up as part of Tabor’s standard backup procedures. Backups support system recovery but are not intended as a mechanism for long-term storage of individual user portfolios after account deletion.

Users should export their portfolios if they wish to retain personal copies.

NOTE:

Mahara access is provided through Tabor Online authentication. When a user’s Tabor Online account is disabled, they may lose the ability to self-export their Mahara portfolio. Tabor may provide a limited export pathway on request, subject to verification and resourcing.

 

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