Privacy Statement

Texas Woman’s University (“TWU” or “University”) is committed to respecting your privacy and to protecting the confidentiality of the information you provide to us. This privacy statement explains how information is collected, used, and disclosed by the University with respect to your use of the twu.edu website and other University sites that display this privacy statement so you can make an informed decision about using these websites. TWU will use commercially reasonable means to achieve this commitment while balancing applicable legal requirements, individual rights, ethical considerations, academic freedom, and business necessity. In furtherance of this commitment, TWU will strive to be transparent about the information it collects, the intended use of that information, with whom the information may be shared, and how your use will be affected if you choose not to provide information. There are various ways you may interact with our technology platforms and websites, whether maintained directly by TWU or through one of our third party service providers.

This privacy statement explains the following:

• The information that we collect and how we collect it;
• How that information is used and for what purpose;
• How long we keep that information;
• How you can request to review that information;
• Whether we share or disclose information to third-parties; and
• How we keep your information safe and secure.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide To Us Voluntarily

When using our websites or technology platforms, you may choose to provide us with information via web forms, email, or other electronic means. We may collect or record basic personal information, which you voluntarily provide through completing web forms, through questions you send to us, or through other means of communication between you and us. The categories of personal information you provide may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• • • • • Contact information, such as your name, email, phone number, and mailing address;
        • Demographic information, such as your age, gender, preferred language, and personal or professional interests;
        • Academic details, such as GPA, test scores, and degrees and certifications achieved;
        • Employment history, such as information submitted on a job application;
        • Security credentials such as a password used to register with us;
        • Protected health information (“PHI”), such as medical records and medical conditions; and
        • Any other information uploaded, sent, or submitted to TWU, including any personally identifiable information (“PII”).

Website Analytics

While navigating and browsing our TWU websites, we gather information related to your visit such as web traffic logs to better help us understand trends using web analytics. The types of information we collect for web analytics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• • • • • Internet protocol (“IP”) address, device type, host name, and Internet Service Provider;
        • Referring website URL and search keywords;
        • Web browser type and version; and
        • Browsing activity including pages visited, links clicked, and date and time of your interactions.

How We Use Your Information

We only use your personal information for legitimate business interests and purposes specific to facilitating the various operations of the University. In general, we use personal information in the following ways:

• • • To provide you with information and materials in response to your inquiries in order to generate and develop interest in TWU;
    • To personalize our services and improve the effectiveness of our communications with you so that the information we provide is meaningful and relevant;
    • To facilitate admissions and provide services to our undergraduate and graduate students, as well as prospective students;
    • To deliver course materials and facilitate teaching and learning outcomes;
    • To keep alumni connected, informed, and engaged with the TWU community;
    • To provide the greater community with activities and events;
    • To manage the employment of our faculty and staff; and
    • To deliver healthcare to our patients.

TWU complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), which generally prohibits the release of student educational records without student permission. To learn more about TWU’s FERPA policy and practices, please visit our page on FERPA.

Reviewing and Updating Your Information

Texas Public Information Act

With few exceptions, you are entitled, upon your request, to be informed about the information Texas Woman’s University collects about you. Under Sections 552.021 and 552.023 of the Texas Government Code, you are entitled to receive and review the information collected about you. Under Section 559.004 of the Texas Government Code, you are entitled to have Texas Woman’s University correct information about you that is held by us and that is incorrect. To learn more about the Texas Public Information Act, please see our page on Public Information Requests.

Retention and Deletion of Your Information

We retain your personal information so that we can provide services and products to you. When you contact us, we may keep a record of your communication to help solve any issues that you might be facing. Your information may be retained for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirement.

Information that Texas Woman’s University collects will be retained and maintained as required by Texas records retention laws (Section 441.180 et seq. of the Texas Government Code) and rules. Different types of information are kept for different periods of time. To learn more about TWU’s records retention practices, please visit our page on Records Management.

Disclosure and Sharing of Your Information to Third Parties

TWU may share your personal information with third party service providers with whom we have a business relationship or agreement with, in furtherance or support of the legitimate business interests and operations of the University to deliver services to our constituents. Such third party service providers include, but are not limited to cloud hosting providers, email service providers, and payment processing partners. Our third party service providers are subject to the same security and confidentiality obligations and are only permitted to process your personal information for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions. TWU does not sell your personal information to third parties.

We may also disclose information about you when we believe that such use or disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with any legal or regulatory obligation, or disclosure is necessary to appropriate authorities as required by federal, state, or local law.

Use of Cookies and Other Technologies

Cookies

TWU may use “cookies,” which are strings of code sent and stored on your computer while using TWU websites. These cookies allow TWU to collect data that your browser sends to us, such as your IP address, device type, browser type, location, language, access time, and referring website addresses. Such data may be used to analyze trends, to administer our website, to track your movements around the website, and to gather demographic data about our visitor base as a whole. Cookies help us improve our websites and your experience. You may turn off cookies by following the instructions for your browser. However, if you block or disable cookies, it may cause disruption while using our web services.

Web Beacons and Other Technologies

TWU may use other technologies such as web beacons to gauge and track the level of engagement we have with our targeted audience. Web beacons are small, invisible graphic images that may be used on websites or in emails to collect certain information about usage and effectiveness and monitor user engagement. Web beacons are also commonly referred to as tracking pixels.

System Logs and Network Monitoring

TWU maintains log files of all access to its site and also monitors network traffic for the purposes of site management and security. This information is used to help diagnose technical issues and to carry out other administrative tasks. Log analysis tools are also used to create summary statistics to determine which information is of most interest to users, to identify system problem areas, or to help determine future technical requirements. TWU may also use log information in any investigation of a potential violation of TWU policies and procedures or as required by federal, state, or local law.

Third-Party Websites and Third-Party Applications

Our websites may contain links to third-party websites. These third-party websites are operated by companies that are outside of our control, and your activities at those third-party websites will be governed by the policies and practices of those third-parties. TWU is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of such third-party websites and applications that are subject to their own privacy policies. If you choose to access such links, we encourage you to review all third-party site privacy policies, statements, or notices before submitting any of your personal data.

TWU also employs Google Analytics to track and better understand the level of engagement and interest of visitors. We are sharing the following disclosure on behalf of Google Analytics:

The Sites’ use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the Sites analyze how users use the Sites. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the Sites (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the Sites, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of the Sites. By using the Sites, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

To learn more about Google Analytics and privacy, please visit Google’s page on safeguarding your data.

Information Security

TWU recognizes the importance of securing the personal information we collect and maintain. We strive to ensure reasonable security measures are in place, including physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect your personal information. TWU has implemented security measures in accordance with Texas Administrative Code (“TAC”) 202 and the Information Security standards set forth by the Texas Department of Information Resources. Additionally, TWU routinely undergoes security risk assessments, audits, and penetration testing. University Regulations and Procedures have also been adopted to protect against unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or destruction of information under our control, as well as the loss, misuse, or alteration of this website or associated electronic information resources. To learn more about our University Regulations and Procedures, please visit our page on University Policy.

Changes to this Statement

TWU periodically reviews this statement, and any updates are posted on this web page. This statement may be modified at TWU’s discretion, at any time, without other forms of notice. Please check the privacy statement frequently. Your continued use of our website constitutes acceptance of such changes in the privacy statement, except where further steps are required by applicable law.

This privacy statement adheres to the Texas Department of Information Resources State Website Linking and Privacy Policy.

Contacting Us

If you have any questions about the practices of this site or your use of this website, please contact webteam@twu.edu.

Page last updated 12:38 PM, May 31, 2024