Privacy Statement
Below is the University of West Georgia’s privacy and legal notice for its website and compliance with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (“EU GDPR”). Questions about UWG’s privacy and legal notice or compliance with EU GDPR can be sent to dataprivacy@westga.edu.
Website
What We Collect and Why
The University of West Georgia (UWG) collects information from individuals or entities when they access any UWG website. Information collected from this contact is the contactor’s IP address, the date and time of the website access, and the web pages(s) visited. In addition, UWG may also collect any information it receives from your web browser, including browser type, version, and operating system. This information helps us understand aggregate uses of our site, track usage trends, and improve our services.
Cookies
Cookies are files that many websites transfer to users’ web browsers to enable the site to deliver personalized services or to provide persistent authentication. The information in a cookie typically includes information collected automatically by the web server and/or information provided voluntarily by the user. Our website uses persistent cookies with a third-party technology partner to analyze search engine usage and web traffic patterns. This information is used in the aggregate to monitor and enhance our web pages. It is not used to track the usage patterns of individual users.
Security
Our office is committed to ensuring the security of your information. We have put reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized access to or use of the information collected online.
Sharing Your Information
We will not share your information with third parties except:
- as required by law;
- as necessary to protect University interests;
- as necessary to further University research efforts pursuant to approvals from appropriate data stewards and the IRB; and/or
- with service providers acting on our behalf who have agreed to protect the confidentiality of the data.
Links to Other Websites
This site may contain links to other websites not affiliated with the University. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements of other sites for assurance that their practices safeguard your privacy.
Legal Notice
Notwithstanding any language to the contrary, nothing contained herein constitutes nor is intended to constitute an offer, inducement, promise, or contract of any kind. The data contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not represented to be error-free. Any links to non-UWG information are provided as a courtesy. They are neither intended nor constitute an endorsement by UWG of the linked materials.
European Union General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) Privacy Notice
Lawful Basis for Collecting and Processing of Personal Data
The University of West Georgia is an institute of higher education involved in education, research, and community development. For UWG to educate its students both in class and on-line, engage in world-class research, and provide community services, it is essential and necessary to collect, process, use, and maintain data of its students, employees, applicants, research subjects, and others involved in its educational, research, and community programs. The lawful bases for collection and use of this data include, without limitation, admission, registration, delivery of classroom, on-line, and study abroad education, grades, communications, employment, applied research, development, program analysis for improvements, and records retention. Examples of data that UWG may need to collect in connection with the lawful bases are name, email address, IP address, physical address or other location identifier, photos, and sensitive personal data obtained with prior consent.
Most of UWG’s collection and processing of personal data will fall under the following categories:
1. Processing is necessary for the legitimate interests pursued by UWG or third parties in providing education, employment, research and development, and community programs.
2. Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or to take steps at the request of the data subject before entering into a contract. This lawful basis pertains primarily but not exclusively to research contracts.
3. Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which UWG is subject. This lawful basis pertains primarily but not exclusively to compliance with state and federal laws. Examples are providing enrollment data to the US Department of Education and providing employment and payroll data as required by the US Internal Revenue Service.
4. The data subject has consented to process their personal data for one or more specific purposes. This lawful basis primarily pertains to protecting research subjects and providing medical and mental health services.
There will be some instances where the collection and processing of personal data will be pursuant to other lawful bases.
Types of Personal Data Collected and Why
As referenced above, the University of West Georgia collects of personal and sensitive data to meet one of its lawful bases. Most often, the data is used for academic admissions, enrollment, educational programs, job hiring, provision of medical services, participation in research, development, and community outreach. Data typically includes name, address, transcripts, work history, information for payroll, research subject information, medical and health information (for student health services or travel), and donations.
If a data subject refuses to provide personal data that UWG requires in connection with one of its lawful bases to collect such personal data, such refusal may make it impossible for UWG to provide education, employment, research, or other requested services.
Where the University of West Georgia gets Personal and Sensitive Personal Data
The University of West Georgia receives personal and sensitive personal data from multiple sources. Most often, UWG gets this data directly from the data subject or under the direction of the data subject who provided it to a third party.
Individual Rights of the Data Subject under the EU GDPR
Individual data subjects covered by UWG’s EU GDPR Compliance Policy include the right to know:
1. information about the controller collecting the data,
2. the data protection officer's contact information,
3. the purposes and legal basis/legitimate interests of the data collection/processing,
4. recipients of the personal data,
5. if UWG intends to transfer personal data to another country or international organization,
6. the period the personal data will be stored,
7. the existence of the right to access, rectify incorrect data or erase personal data, restrict or object to processing, and the right to data portability,
8. the existence of the right to withdraw consent at any time,
9. the right to complain to a supervisory authority (established in the EU),
10. why the personal data are required, and possible consequences of the failure to provide the data,
11. the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, and
12. if collected data are going to be further processed for a purpose other than that for which it was collected.
Note: Exercising these rights guarantees a process and not the guarantee of an outcome.
Cookies
See above.
Security of Personal Data subject to the EU GDPR
All personal and sensitive personal data collected or processed by the University of West Georgia under the scope of its EU GDPR Compliance Policy must comply with the security controls and systems and process requirements and standards of NIST Special Publication 800-171.
We will not share your information with third parties except:
- as necessary to meet one of its lawful purposes, including but not limited to its legitimate interest, contract compliance, pursuant to consent provided by you, or as required by law;
- as necessary to protect UWG interests; or
- with service providers acting on our behalf who have agreed to protect the confidentiality of the data.
Data Retention
The University of West Georgia keeps the data it collects for the period specified in the University System of Georgia Records Retention Schedules. See UWG Policy 1008 Records Information Management (RIM) Policy.