Aspect Financial Data

Terms & Conditions

1. Conditions of Use
2. Procedures Covering the Use of Data
3. Access to the Data
4. Reporting Procedures
5. Fee Structure

1. Conditions of Use

The following conditions relate to the use of the data:

1. Access to the data will be on the basis of a licence to use the data.
2. The database can be accessed for research purposes only. It cannot be used for teaching purposes.
3. Access to the data is restricted to Nominated Researchers or researchers collaborating with a Nominated Researcher.

2. Procedures Covering the Use of the Data

1. Each Full Member University will be entitled to receive licenses at no cost. The number of licences allocated will be based on the Full Member university's share of SIRCA's resources as prescribed in the Members Agreement.
2. Each year the University (via the University's SIRCA representative) may allocate licences to Nominated Researchers, up to the maximum entitlement of the University at no cost. The allocation of licences will cover the coming calendar year.
3. Once licences are allocated, the data is available only to the Nominated Researchers (the licensee).
4. Other researchers from the Member University or researchers from other institutions may use the data if they are collaborating with the nominated researcher on a research project.
5. Should a researcher, who is not a Nominated Researcher, require access to the data for a project that does not involve collaboration with a Nominated Researcher an additional licence will be required. If the required licence exceeds the University's entitlement an additional charge will be levied.

3. Access to the Data

Access to the data can be obtained in one of three ways:

1. Each nominated researcher shall be able to download the entire database each year, and to receive quarterly updates, or more frequently on request; under 5.1;
   OR
2. Nominated researchers can submit data requests requesting elements of the database to be extracted by SIRCA's programmers, under 5.2;
   AND
3. Electronic copies of financial statements are available on line from Aspect Financial's website, under 3.3

3.1 Procedures for Accessing the Entire Database

Access to the data can be obtained in one of three ways:

1. At the commencement of each year Nominated Researchers will be provided with a SIRCA password that will permit them access to the section of SIRCA's ftp site containing the database, to enable the downloading of the database. Consistent with SIRCA's current security procedures, the data will be encrypted.
2. The above password will be provided for the exclusive use of the Nominated Researcher and is not to be passed on to anyone else. In the event that the password is lost or compromised the Nominated Researcher must contact SIRCA and arrange for the cancellation of the old password and the issue of a new one.
3. Currently the database is approximately 8.5mb in compressed format, and can therefore be readily downloaded.
4. On a quarterly basis updates to the database will be available. These will also be posted to SIRCA's ftp site. Nominated Researchers will be advised via email that an update to the data is available and will be able to download the update in the same manner as in Point 1 above.
5. Once the data is downloaded the Nominated Researcher is free to manipulate the data in any manner, subject to the "Conditions of Use" as outlined above.
6. If the licence is not renewed the data is to be returned to SIRCA by the Nominated Reseracher.

3.2 Procedures for Lodging Data Requests

1. The SIRCA online Data Request Form should be completed requesting the data.
2. The data request should specify the data items that are required. As a guide researchers should refer to the data dictionary which is included in SIRCA's website.
3. The data request must be submitted online.
4. The data request will be processed by SIRCA's programmers and the extracted data will be available for download from SIRCA's ftp site. As with the overall database the data will be encrypted.
5. Consistent with 3.1, data provided under a data request should also be returned at the conclusion of the licence.

3.3 Procedures for Accessing Annual Reports in Portable Document Format (PDF)

1. Nominated researchers are also able to access electronic copies of Annual Reports in "pdf" Format.
2. These can be accessed from Aspect's ImageSignal website, using a password supplied by SIRCA's Consult Manager.
3. The use of the data extracted from this facility is also subject to the above conditions of use.

4. Reporting Procedures

1. SIRCA has an Annual Reporting procedure in place which requests information from the Member Representative from each University Member concerning access to data and projects completed using all SIRCA data. This report will be expanded to include the reporting of all projects undertaken using the accounting database.
2. A copy of all completed working papers and research publications which make use of the accounting database should be provided to SIRCA. These research papers will be included in SIRCA's research database.
3. Failure to submit a report by the due date may lead to restrictions/cancellations of future access to the data.

5. Fee Structure

5.1 Full Members

1. No annual fees will apply to licences to the Full Members up to their entitlement.
2. SIRCA will write to the Member representative in December each year requesting them to nominate researchers to be allocated licenses up to the univerity's entitlement. The member representative will be required to provide nominations by end of January. Any licence entitlements which are not allocated to researchers will be returned to the pool, and the university will forfeit its entitlement to a free licence for that year.
3. The fee for licences over and above the entitlement of Full Members is currently charged at $1,000pa plus GST each. This fee will be reviewed each year.

5.2 Affiliate Members

1. The fee for licences for Affiliate Members is charged currently at $1,000pa plus GST each. This fee will be reviewed each year.

5.3 General Provisions

1. Licences will be available for each calendar year. Licences requested and approved during the year will have a term expiring at 31 December of that year. Licence fees will not be pro-rated for licences for part of the year.
2. If a project straddles a year-end and continuing access is required to the data, the licence will have to be renewed for the following year.