Privacy Policy

Below is the University of West Georgia’s privacy and legal notice for both its website and for 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.

Contact UWG about privacy policy

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 that is collected from this contact is the contactor’s IP address, date and time of the website access along with the web pages(s) visited. In addition, UWG may also collect any information that it receives from your web browser, including browser type and 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 contained 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 in conjunction 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 in place 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 not intended to nor do they 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. In order 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 includes, 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, as well as some 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 purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by UWG or third parties in providing education, employment, research and development, community programs.
  2. Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to 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 given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes. This lawful basis pertains primarily but not exclusively to the protection of research subjects, 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

The University of West Georgia collects a variety of personal and sensitive data to meet one of its lawful bases, as referenced above. 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 is required by UWG 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 has 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 includes the right to know:

  1. information about the controller collecting the data
  2. the data protection officer 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 lodge a complaint with 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
  12. if the 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

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 contained 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 in conjunction 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 of Personal Data subject to the EU GDPR

All personal data 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 time periods specified in the University System of Georgia Records Retention Schedules. See, UWG Policy 1008 Records Information Management (RIM) Policy.