Union Institute & University Privacy Notice

Last Modified: 6/7/2023

Union Institute & University (“University” or “We”) values your privacy and is committed to protecting it through our compliance with this Privacy Notice (“Policy”).

This Policy describes the types of information we may collect from you or that you may provide when you visit our websites [tui-oh.net , myuiuapps.com, unioninstitute.edu, myunion.org, myunion.edu, myunion.tv, tui.edu, myunion.brightspace.com, myunion.aefis.net, www.tisj.myunion.edu] (collectively, the “Sites” or individually, a “Site”) and our practices for collecting, using, maintaining, protecting, and disclosing that information.

Please read this Policy carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding your information and how we will treat it. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, your choice is not to use our Sites. By accessing or using the Sites, you agree to this Policy. This Policy may change from time to time (see Updates to Policy). Your continued use of the Sites after we make changes is deemed to be acceptance of those changes, so please check the policy periodically for updates.

We collect personal information from you directly through automated processes and from third-party entities. This Policy applies to, and we generally collect and use, the following categories of data for different groups of people at an institutional level:

Prospective students: to facilitate admission and provide higher education services, we collect personal and family information related to the application and financial aid process, including supporting documentation, identification and contact information; education history, demographic information (e.g., race, gender, and age) as volunteered, testing history, personal information and history, employment history, and payment information.

Students: to register, administer financial aid, track academic progress, and provide academic advising and other services, we use information submitted as prospective students, information related to academic records and performance, and subscription data for online courses.

Faculty and staff: to administer an employment relationship with the University, we collect identification, contact information, biographic information, employment, and education history, payment and tax information, family and health information related to benefits, and information related to performance at work.

Alumni: to manage their relationship and engagement with the University, we collect identification, contact information, and donor information.

Participants in webinars and other University events: to register, track payment and participation, we collect identification, contact information, and payment information.

Site visitors: to understand and save their preferences for future visits and compile aggregate data about website traffic on our Sites and page interaction. Through cookies, we collect contact information, IP address, browser type, internet service provider, pages visited, operating system, date and time of visit, location information, and other information so that we can offer better user experiences.

We occasionally process other types of personal information for various legitimate and specific purposes. When these situations occur, we endeavor to inform the data subjects of such occasional processing activities.

Information gathered is automatic ( i.e., not manual). When a user browses our Sites (Visitors) or requests access to a protected portion of any Site, the University may collect and store digital information sent by the Visitor’s web browser, such as IP addresses (i.e., the internet address of the Visitor’s computer or device), geolocation, the web browser used for the connection, the device operating system, unique device identifiers, and other digital property, such as pages visited, length of visit, and terms searched. When a Visitor submits a form via any Site, the University may capture and store the Visitor’s IP address along with other information submitted to the University on the form. Otherwise, the University does not link IP addresses or cookies to any other Visitor's personal information. In connection with protecting the University’s electronic assets, the University routinely monitors its network for signs of malicious activity.  While the University may investigate malicious activity, the University does not store Visitor personal information related to normal use of its network other than as described in this Policy.

We may also disclose personal information that we collect or provide as described in this Policy: 1) to our subsidiaries and affiliates; 2) to contractors, service providers, or other third parties we use to support our business; 3) to a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of the University’s assets, whether as an ongoing concern or as a part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which personal information held by the University about our Site users and Visitors is among the assets transferred; 4) to fulfill the purpose for which you provide it; 5) for any other purpose disclosed by us when you provide the information; and 5) with your consent.

Cookies

When you visit our Sites, we may store some information on your computer in the form of a cookie. Cookies are small text files placed on your computer used to collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior information in an anonymous form. Cookies allow us to tailor our Sites to better match your interests and preferences; the information can also be used to establish continuity between requests, personalize our Sites to a Visitor’s preferences, authenticate a Visitor’s log-in, analyze web traffic, monitor and ensure the security of the network, and to help diagnose problems with the University’s servers. Information that we gather from cookies is not linked to any of your personally identifiable information while on our Sites unless you choose to provide your personal information during your visit. You can accept or decline cookies at your discretion. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience all features and content of our Sites.

Some Sites may also have cookies that originate from third parties. These “third-party cookies” may, for example, originate from websites such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, or other social media services for which the Sites may have implemented “plug-ins.” Since cookie policies may change over time, you should review their policies by visiting the privacy policy pages of the websites directly. We do not control any outside parties’ tracking technologies, or how they may be used. If you have any questions about such tracking technologies, you should contact the responsible provider directly.

Functional Cookies

Visitors are sometimes requested to sign-up or log in to use some of our online services. When a Visitor enters their username and password, a cookie may be set identifying them as a logged-in user. This cookie is removed either when they log out, or when they have not visited the Site for some time and their login expires. These systems are typically those that deal explicitly with personal data, transactions, purchasing, or borrowing.

Though this cookie will identify the Visitor as a specific person on the Sites, the University does not pass any information to market research companies, advertisers, or other third parties.

Web Statistics and Page Sharing

Many of our Sites use Google Analytics, which is a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”).  Google Analytics uses persistent cookies to analyze how Visitors use a Site. The information generated by the cookie about a Visitor’s use of a Site (including the Visitor’s IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating the Visitor’s use of a Site, compiling reports on Site activity for the University, and providing other services related to Site activity and internet usage.

Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where the third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate the Visitor’s IP address with any other data held by Google.

By using the Sites, each Visitor consents to Google's processing of data about the Visitor in the manner and for the purposes set out above. Please visit the following pages for more information about Google Analytics Terms of Service and Google’s Privacy Practices.

Information Security

All candidate, employee, and student information gathered during the University’s day-to-day business is confidential and will not be disclosed, except for the uses described in this Policy, without the specific authorization of the employee, student, or candidate. All data generated, acquired, or maintained by the University is a valued asset. Our data will be kept secure, confidential, and appropriately available to authorized users.

The University pledges to defend the confidentiality and security of student data with the same or greater vigor as it applies to its own confidential data. This Policy is critical to preserving the confidentiality, integrity, and security of all data entrusted to the University’s care.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we may disclose your personal information: 1) to comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request; 2) to enforce or apply our terms of use and other agreements, including for billing and collection purposes; and 3) if we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of the University, our students, employees,

Digital Advertising

The University may contract with third-party vendors to show University advertisements on websites and digital properties that are not controlled by the University. The University and third-party vendors with whom the University contracts may use cookies to show ads based on a Visitor’s prior visits to the Sites, and to assess the effectiveness of those ads.

In addition, the University may allow prospective students and others to provide their personal contact information to the University through these digital ad platforms. The University treats such information in accordance with this Policy.

Third-Party Websites

Our Sites may link to or embed content from websites that are not controlled by the University (“Third Party Sites”). The University is not responsible for the privacy practices, tracking technologies, or content of Third-Party Sites.

Some University Sites may contain links to external websites not owned by, or officially affiliated with, the University in any way. If a user decides to navigate to external links, he/she will leave the University Sites, and thus, the University is not responsible for privacy practices, tracking technologies, or the content of such websites. Navigating to external links is done at the user’s own risk, and users should be aware that the University’s privacy policies no longer apply. The University recommends that users review the privacy policy and applicable terms of all sites they visit.

Use Offline

This Policy does not apply to information collected by the University offline or through any other means, including any other website, other than the Sites, operated by the University or any third party (including our affiliates and subsidiaries).

Rules for Individuals Under Thirteen Years of Age

The University is committed to complying fully with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Accordingly, if a user of any Site is under the age of thirteen (13), such user is not authorized to provide such Site with personally identifying information, and the University will not use any such information in its database or other data collection activities once it becomes aware that the user is under the age of thirteen. The University appreciates user cooperation with this federally mandated requirement.

Users under the age of thirteen, and their parents or guardians, are cautioned that the collection of personal information volunteered online or by e-mail 1) will be treated the same as information given by an adult, until the University becomes aware that the user is under the age of thirteen, and 2) such information may be subject to public access.

Acceptance of this Policy

The University assumes that all Visitors to any of the University Sites have reviewed this Policy. If a Visitor does not agree with this Policy, such a Visitor should refrain from using the University Sites.

Updates to Policy

The University may modify this Policy at any time. All changes will be made directly to this web page and will be effective on the date posted.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Information of students located in the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) may fall under Regulation 2016/679 (the General Data Protection Regulation, or the “GDPR”). The University is forming a dedicated interdisciplinary working group to enhance its GDPR compliance. Specifically, this group is charged with developing an ongoing, sustainable GDPR compliance program. The work includes but is not limited to:

  • Assessing how GDPR affects the University programs;
  • Developing tools and templates to assist the University programs with GDPR compliance;
  • Ensuring that physical and technical safeguards needed to protect personal data are in place; and,
  • Working with partners and vendors to ensure that data protection are maintained when personal data is transferred outside the University.

Retention of Information

The information collected through the University Sites is retained in accordance with the appropriate offices’ custodian of University record(s) retention policy and the Policy on Network Security Monitoring.

Release or Access

All requests for the release of or access to confidential information maintained in the records of the University must be directed to the appropriate custodian of the University record(s). The University custodian of such requested record(s) may consult with the University’s legal counsel.

Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You can send us an email at ITServices2960@myunion.edu to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that you have provided to us. We may not accommodate a request to change information if we believe the change would violate any law or legal requirement or cause the information to be incorrect.

How to Contact Us

Questions about this Policy should be directed to Information Security, ITServices2960@myunion.edu or 2090 Florence Avenue | P. O. Box 6293 |Cincinnati, OH  45206.