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Website Privacy Policy

Policy Version: 0.91 (draft), rev. 07.28.2004

Policy Summary:

This policy describes Samuel Merritt University's (herein "SMU") methods for collection, use, and distribution of personal information via the university's website.

Purpose:

This policy has been developed to insure the protection of our website visitors' privacy rights in any transaction involving the submission of personal information. Furthermore, it is the intent of this policy to provide disclosure to SMU website visitors.

Scope/Applicability:

This policy applies to all divisions of the University and to all personal information collected from all website visitors. SMU maintains privacy policies for other purposes (FERPA, HIPAA, and others) which may include provisions not present in this policy. This policy applies only to information collected from the SMU website.

Policy:

  • Collection Methods: Personal information is collected for various purposes though website forms. In most cases, such information is delivered to relevant university employees through our internal email server. In some cases, the contents of these forms are collected in databases; in such cases, those databases are stored and maintained within our internal network and are not accessible to anyone inside or outside SMU without explicit permissions being granted.
(example: A form is provided for companies registering for SMU's Annual Career Fair; when a form is submitted, the information is summarized in an email sent to designated employees of SMU's Enrollment Services Division, who are organizing the fair; additionally, the information is stored in a database that is accessible to those same employees when they are logged in to SMU's internal network.)
  • Cookies and Session Variables: In some cases, information is collected for use in online software applications; in most of those cases, the information (usually log-in information) is stored in browser cookies or session variables. In all cases where information is stored in such a way, the information is deleted at the end of the browser session or set to expire after a fixed period of time; personal information stored in cookies and session variables is not stored by SMU.
  • Disclosure: Data collected through SMU's website will only be used for the purposes stated on the particular page or form from which it is submitted. If SMU intends to share submitted information, details of how such information will be distributed will be detailed on the form being submitted.

(example: On a form for students to register for SMU's Annual Career Fair, there is an option to elect to have the student's contact information forwarded to employers participating in the Career Fair. By forwarding their contact information, students can pre-arrange and schedule meetings with employers during the fair. Within the form itself, the question is asked specifically, "Would you like us to forward your contact information to employers participating in the fair?"; the student may check "yes" or "no". Only contact information for those who check "yes" will be forwarded, and it will only be forwarded to employers who have registered for the Career Fair.)

  • Authority/Enforcement: The SMU website privacy policy is maintained by Information Technology Services Department in conjunction with all divisions of the organization. Please direct any privacy concerns or complaints or SMU's Director of Information Technology, Blair Simmons.
  • Renewal/Review: Changes to this policy will be posted to this web page with revision dates. Revisions will only apply to information collected after the revision date. Please refer to this page before submitting any information if you have concerns about the use of such information.