The State University of New York - College of Optometry Privacy Policy

Thank you for visiting the State University of New York, College of Optometry (SUNY Optometry) Web site. This Web site is designed to make it easier and more efficient for individuals and businesses to interact with SUNY Optometry. We recognize that it is critical for individuals and businesses to be confident that their privacy is protected when visiting this Web site.

Consistent with the provisions of the Internet Security and Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Law, and the Personal Privacy Protection Law, this policy describes the SUNY Optometry privacy practices regarding information collected from users of this website. This policy describes what information is collected and how that information is used. Because this privacy policy only applies to this website, you should examine the privacy policy of any website, including other state agency websites, that you access using this website.

For purposes of this policy, personal information means any information concerning a natural person which, because of name, number, symbol, mark, or other identifier, can be used to identify that natural person. SUNY Optometry does not collect any personal information about you unless you provide that information voluntarily by sending an e-mail, responding to a survey, completing an online transaction, or completing an online application for admission.

Information Collected Automatically When You Visit sunyopt.edu
When visiting this website, SUNY Optometry automatically collects and stores the following information about your visit:

None of the foregoing information is deemed to constitute personal information.

The information that is collected automatically is used to improve this website's content and to help SUNY Optometry understand how users are interacting with the website. This information is collected for statistical analysis, to determine what information is of most and least interest to our users, and to improve the utility of the material available on the website. The information is not collected for commercial marketing purposes and SUNY Optometry is not authorized to sell or otherwise disclose the information collected from the website for commercial marketing purposes.

Information Collected When You E-mail sunyopt.edu or Complete a Transaction
During your visit to this Web site you may send e-mail to SUNY Optometry. Your e-mail address and the contents of your message will be collected. The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information formats included in the message. Your e-mail address and the information included in your message will be used to respond to you, to address issues you identify, to improve this Web site, or to forward your message to another SUNY campus for appropriate action. Your e-mail address is not collected for commercial purposes and SUNY Optometry is not authorized to sell or otherwise disclose your e-mail address for commercial purposes.

During your visit to this Web site, you may complete a transaction such as an online application, survey, registration or information request form. The information collected by SUNY Optometry, including personal information volunteered by you in completing the transaction, is used by SUNY Optometry and may be disclosed by SUNY Optometry for those purposes that may be reasonably ascertained from the nature and terms of the transaction in which the information was submitted.

SUNY Optometry does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 or create profiles of children under the age of 13. Users are cautioned, however, that the collection of personal information submitted in an e-mail will be treated as though it was submitted by an adult, and may, unless exempted from access by federal or State law, be subject to public access.

Disclosure of Information Collected Through This Web site

The collection of information through this Web site and the disclosure of that information are subject to the provisions of the Internet Security and Privacy Act. SUNY Optometry will only collect personal information through this Web site or disclose personal information collected through this Web site if the user has consented to the collection or disclosure of such personal information. The voluntary disclosure of personal information to SUNY Optometry by the user, constitutes consent to the collection and disclosure of the information by SUNY Optometry for the purposes for which the user disclosed the information to SUNY Optometry.

However, SUNY Optometry may collect or disclose personal information without consent if the collection or disclosure is: (1) necessary to perform the statutory duties of SUNY Optometry, or necessary for SUNY Optometry to operate a program authorized by law, or authorized by state or federal statute or regulation; (2) made pursuant to a court order or by law; (3) for the purpose of validating the identity of the user; or (4) of information to be used solely for statistical purposes that is in a form that cannot be used to identify any particular person.

Further, the disclosure of information, including personal information, collected through this Web site is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Law and the Personal Privacy Protection Law.

SUNY Optometry may disclose personal information to federal or state law enforcement authorities to enforce its rights against unauthorized access or attempted unauthorized access to SUNY Optometry's information technology assets.

Retention of Information Collected Through this Web site
The information collected through this Web site is retained by SUNY Optometry in accordance with the records retention and disposition requirements of the New York State Arts & Cultural Affairs Law. Information on the requirements of the Arts & Cultural Affairs Law may be found at http://www.archives.nysed.gov/services/recmgmt.htm. In general, the Internet services logs of SUNY Optometry, comprising electronic files or automated logs created to monitor access and use of Agency services provided through this Web site, are retained for 21 business days and then destroyed. Information concerning these records retention and disposition schedules may be obtained through the Internet privacy policy contact listed in this policy.

Access to and Correction of Personal information Collected Through this Web site
Any user may submit a request to SUNY Optometry's privacy compliance officer to determine whether personal information pertaining to that user has been collected through this Web site. Any such request shall be made in writing and must be accompanied by reasonable proof of identity of the user. Reasonable proof of identity may include verification of a signature, inclusion of an identifier generally known only to the user, or similar appropriate identification.

The address of the privacy compliance officer is:

Privacy Compliance Officer
SUNY College of Optometry
33 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

The privacy compliance officer shall, within five (5) business days of the receipt of a proper request, provide access to the personal information; deny access in writing, explaining the reasons therefore; or acknowledge the receipt of the request in writing, stating the approximate date when the request will be granted or denied, which date shall not be more than thirty (30) days from the date of the acknowledgment. In the event that SUNY Optometry has collected personal information pertaining to a user through this Web site and that information is to be provided to the user pursuant to the user's request, the privacy compliance officer shall inform the user of his or her right to request that the personal information be amended or corrected under the procedures set forth in section 95 of the Public Officers Law.

Confidentiality and Integrity of personal information Collected Through sunyopt.edu
SUNY Optometry is strongly committed to protecting personal information collected through this Web site against unauthorized access, use or disclosure. Consequently, SUNY Optometry limits employee access to personal information collected through this Web site to only those employees who need access to the information in the performance of their official duties. Employees who have access to this information follow appropriate procedures in connection with any disclosures of personal information.

In addition, SUNY Optometry has implemented procedures to safeguard the integrity of its information technology assets, including, but not limited to, authentication, authorization, monitoring, auditing, and encryption. These security procedures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day operations of this Web site as part of our continuing commitment to the security of electronic content as well as the electronic transmission of information.

For Web site security purposes and to maintain the availability of the Web site for all users, SUNY Optometry employs software to monitor traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information or otherwise damage this Web site.

Cookies
Cookies are small pieces of information that are stored by the user's browser on the hard drive of your computer. This website does not use cookies.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this privacy policy should not be construed as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail proof, the security of information provided through this Web site.

Contact Information
For questions regarding this Internet privacy policy, please contact our privacy officer via e-mail at privacy@sunyopt.edu or by regular mail at:

Privacy Compliance Officer
SUNY College of Optometry
33 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

Definitions
The following definitions apply to, and appear in italics, in this policy:

personal information: For purposes of this policy, "personal information" means any information concerning a natural person which, because of name, number, symbol, mark, or other identifier, can be used to identify that natural person.

State Agency Website: shall have the meaning set forth in subdivision 7 of section 202 of the State Technology Law.

User: shall have the meaning set forth in subdivision 8 of section 202 of the State Technology Law.