ONLINE PRIVACY STATEMENT
This website, WAU.edu (the “Site”), is owned and operated by Washington Adventist University, Incorporated (“WAU”). WAU recognizes the importance of sharing our privacy practices with users of our Site and protecting the privacy of information collected through our Site. Please note that this statement may be revised as needed to address changes as they arise.
LINKS TO OTHER SITES
Links from our Site can take you to additional sites run by WAU and also external third party sites. The information of practices of third party websites are not covered under this Privacy Statement or any other terms of our Site. WAU is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such third party websites.
HOW WE COLLECT AND USE INFORMATION
We collect the following types of information about you:
Information you provide us directly:
We may ask for certain types of personally-identifiable information such as your name, birth date, address, and phone number when you contact us with a general information request. Additionally, we may ask for your social security number, academic history, references, and other relevant information required as part of the admissions process at WAU. We may retain any correspondence we receive through our Site, and may collect information you provide in forms you complete on our Site.
Information you provide us indirectly:
When you visit our Site, or correspond with us through our Site, we may collect data that you indirectly provide to us. This type of data includes, but is not limited to, your IP address, geographical location, and which form was used to contact us.
Information we may receive from third parties:
We may receive information about you from third parties. If you access our information through third party websites, or through third party social media such as Facebook, by “following” or “liking” the Washington Adventist University social media page(s), that third party may pass certain information about your use of its services to WAU. This information may include, but is not limited to, the user ID associated with your account, an access token necessary to access that service, any information you have permitted the third party to share with us, and any information you have made public in connection with that service, including your friends list. You are responsible for reviewing your privacy settings on third party websites.
Analytics information:
We may directly collect analytics data, or use third-party analytics tools and services, to help us measure traffic and review usage trends for our Site. These tools collect information sent by your viewing device, including pages you visit, type of device being used, frequented pages, and other information that assists us in improving our Site. The type of analytics data that is collected is not isolated to any one particular user.
Cookies information:
When you visit our Site, we may send one or more cookies – a small text file containing a string of alphanumeric characters – to your computer that uniquely identifies your browser to assist with our marketing using Google Ads, and any form information that you have saved in your browser relevant to our Site. A cookie may remain on your hard drive after you close your browser. You can set your web browser to refuse all cookies or clear your existing cookies. However, some features of our Site may not function properly if cookies are disabled.
Google uses DART cookies in order to deliver WAU ads to you once you have visited our Site. Google’s use of the DART cookie enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to our Site and previous websites that you may have visited. Other advertising networks also use similar cookies to deliver targeted advertising to you through their services. You may opt out of use of Google’s DART cookie and cookies placed by Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) certified ad networks here:http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp . Opting out of these cookies will be effective on all websites with NAI certified advertising networks only.
Commercial and marketing communications:
We use the information you provide, such as your email address, to communicate directly with you. We may send you emails containing newsletters, promotions, and special events. If you do not want to receive these messages, you will have the option to opt out. We may also send you messages regarding the application process, financial information, registration, and other items required for educational and related services at WAU. You may not opt out of Service-related emails.
SHARING OF YOUR INFORMATION
We will not rent or sell your information to third parties without your consent. Your information may be shared within WAU for internal purposes regarding account information, application and/or registration status, service-related correspondence, or other official university business.
Instances where we are required to share your information:
WAU will disclose your information where it is required to do so by law or subpoena or if we reasonably believe that such action is necessary to (a) comply with the law and the reasonable requests of law enforcement; and/or (b) to exercise or protect our rights, property, or personal safety of WAU, our students and employees, or others.
Sharing certain types of information we collect about you:
We may share certain types of information, including information collected through cookies and other tools with our third-party business partners for marketing purposes. We may also strip data of identifying characteristics and may share that anonymized data with third parties.
HOW WE STORE AND PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION
Storage and Processing:
Your information collected through our Site may be stored and processed in the United States or at any location we have official data processing and storage. If you are located outside of the United States, your data protection laws may be different from U.S. law, please note that we may transfer information, including personal information, to the U.S. or wherever our data processing and storage resides.
Keeping your information safe:
WAU cares about the security of your information, and uses commercially reasonable safeguards to preserve the integrity and security of all information collected through this Site. Sensitive information such as applications and financial information should always use the https protocol in the web address (URL). Although WAU makes every effort to secure its networks, WAU cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to WAU or guarantee that information on the Site may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed. Use discretion in providing information in online classes, chatrooms, or other open forums on the Web. Additionally, WAU is not responsible for the functionality or security measures of any third-party such as Facebook or other social media websites.
Compromise of information:
In the event of information being compromised as a result of a breach of security, WAU will take reasonable steps to investigate the situation where appropriate, notify individuals whose information may have been compromised and take other steps, in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations.
How long we keep your private information:
WAU may retain your private information for a reasonable time for backup, archival, or audit purposes.
USER GENERATED CONTENT TERMS OF USE
You shall not upload to, or distribute or otherwise publish on to the WAU Site any libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise illegal material; any comment deemed to contain any of the above following. You agree that you will not deliberately disrupt discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or “spam.” You agree not to use language that abuses or discriminates on the basis of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual preference, age, region, disability, etc. You may not impersonate another user or a WAU staff member. You must disclose conflicts of interest. Any comments deemed containing the above will not be approved for distribution or, if approved, will removed thereafter.
You acknowledge that any submissions you make to the Site (i.e., user-generated comments) may be edited, removed, modified, published, and displayed on the Site and you waive any rights you may have in having the material altered or changed in a manner not agreeable to you.
WAU reserves the right to delete, move, or edit anything that it deems abusive, defamatory, obscene, in violation of copyright or trademark laws, or otherwise unacceptable.
By making a submission to the Site, you are consenting to its display and publication on the Site and for related online uses.
When you share or recommend (with or without adding your own comments) any articles or content from the Site to your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ profile, that action is governed by their respective Privacy Policies.
CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
WAU does not knowingly collect nor solicit information from anyone under the age of 13. The Site and its content are not directed at children under the age of 13. In the event we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information as quickly as possible.
HOW TO CONTACT US
Should you have other questions or concerns about these privacy policies and practices, please call us at 301-891-4134 or send us an email at acrews@wau.edu . If you wish to review or change information gathered about you via an official WAU website, please contact WAU at the above phone number or email address.
