Privacy Policy

Created: January 6, 2025 Last Updated: January 28, 2025

1. Introduction

Philander Smith University values your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information.

2. What is Personal Data?

Personal data refers to any information that can be used to identify an individual, directly or indirectly. This may include:   

• Contact Information: Name, address, phone number, email address
• Demographic Information: Date of birth, gender, ethnicity, nationality
• Educational Information: Academic records, transcripts, degrees, certifications
• Financial Information: Financial aid applications, tuition payments, bank account information
• Online Activity: Website usage data, IP address, browsing history
• Other Information: Photographs, social media profiles, medical information (with appropriate consent)

3. Where Does Personal Data Come From?

We collect personal data from various sources, including:

• Directly from you: Applications, registrations, surveys, forms, in-person interactions
• Third parties: Transcripts from other institutions, background checks, credit bureaus
• Publicly available sources: Social media, news articles, government records

4. How We Use Personal Data

We use your personal data for a variety of purposes, including:

• Academic Purposes: Admissions, enrollment, academic advising, degree conferral, financial aid administration
• Student Services: Housing, dining, health services, career services, student activities
• Research and Development: Academic research, institutional planning, program evaluation
• Marketing and Communications: Recruitment, alumni relations, fundraising, event invitations
• Legal and Compliance: Legal obligations, audits, investigations, security purposes

5. Data Sharing

We may share your personal data with:

• Authorized University Personnel: Faculty, staff, administrators, and other authorized personnel who need access to the data to fulfill their job responsibilities.
• Third-Party Service Providers: Vendors who provide services to the University, such as technology providers, payment processors, and background check companies.
• Other Educational Institutions: For transfer credits, joint programs, and other academic collaborations.
• Government Agencies: As required by law, such as for law enforcement purposes or in response to a subpoena.
• Researchers: For research purposes, with appropriate safeguards and de-identification of data where possible.

6. Data Security

We implement a variety of security measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

• Physical Security: Secure access to physical facilities and data centers.
• Technical Security: Firewalls, encryption, intrusion detection systems, access controls.
• Administrative Security: Data security policies, employee training, regular security assessments.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and as permitted by law. We have data retention policies in place to guide data retention and deletion practices.

8. Privacy Training

CITS provides annual IT security and phishing training to educate faculty, staff, and students on best practices for protecting privacy.

Office of Registrar provides Bi-annual training FERPA.

9. Student Privacy (FERPA)

Philander Smith University complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA is a federal regulation that protects the privacy of students’ education records and provides eligible students certain rights with respect to their educational records. 

Once a student reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, he or she becomes an “eligible student,” and all rights formerly given to parents under FERPA transfer to the student. All new PSU students must acknowledge the University’s FERPA policy and identify any individuals to whom they grant access to their educational records. 

Additionally, students have the right to:   

• Inspect and review their education records.
• Request amendments to their education records.
• Withhold directory information which will be subject to public disclosure unless the student informs the Registrar’s Office that he/she does not want any information designated as directory information
• Consent to the disclosure of some personally identifiable information contained in his or her educational records
• File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, DC  20202-4605

10. Directory Information

Directory Information is public information that is open to the public. This information may be given without student consent. Directory information includes:

 

• Student’s Name
• Addresses (including email)
• Telephone number
• Date and place of birth
• Photograph
• Major field of study
• Enrollment status including the number of hours completed
• Marital status
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams
• Dates of attendance including matriculation and withdrawal dates
• Degrees, scholarship, honors, and awards received
• Previously attended high schools, colleges, or universities

11. Your Rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to:

• Access your personal data.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request erasure of your data.
• Object to the processing of your data.
• Restrict the processing of your data.
• Data portability.
• Withdraw consent (where applicable).

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact:

privacy@philander.edu

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the updated policy on our website.   

This Privacy Policy is a general overview and may not address all specific situations. For more detailed information on specific data processing activities, please refer to relevant University policies and procedures.