USNewsUniversityDirectory.com
Privacy Policy

Date Last Updated: January 2011

Our Policy on Your Privacy

You have chosen to do business with USNewsUniversityDirectory.com, provided by U.S. News University Connection LLC (USNUC), and we recognize our obligation to inform you of our policies concerning the use of your information. You can be sure that our commitment to protect your information will continue under the principles and online guidelines described below.

If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on this page so that you may refer to them to determine what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances we disclose it.

If you have any questions about this privacy statement or the practices of this website, please email
privacy@usnewsuniversityconnection.com.

What information do we collect, when do we collect it, and what do we do with it?

As you use the Internet, a trail of electronic information is left at each website you visit. This information, which is sometimes referred to as “clickstream data,” can be collected and stored by a website’s server. Clickstream data can tell us the type of computer and browsing software you use and the address of the website from which you linked to our website. We may use clickstream data as a form of aggregate information to anonymously determine how much time visitors spend on each page of our website, how visitors navigate throughout the website, and what websites visitors go to from our website. We use that information to understand how we may tailor our web pages to better meet the needs of visitors. This information may also be shared with companies with which we do business. Any collection or use of clickstream data will be anonymous and aggregate, and will not contain any personal information. We track this activity using a service provided by a software company called Omniture. You can review Omniture’s privacy policy to learn specifically how they collect and use information. You can find Omniture’s privacy policy at: www.omniture.com/en/privacy/product.

We also present opportunities for you to provide us with personal information, such as your name, e-mail address, physical address, phone number, as well as other information from time to time. We ask you to provide personal information to us when you: request that we provide more information about a university’s programs or other type of products; ask that we provide you with other general information; fill out a survey; or enter a contest.

If you choose not to provide personal information, you can still browse most of our website (the areas that do not require registration) anonymously.

The contact information we collect on behalf of universities is provided to those universities. They may contact you directly via text, phone, e-mail, or direct mail depending on the type of contact information you provide and the type of information you request. We or companies with whom we do business may also send you information on complimentary programs and services, new opportunities or special offers on behalf of ourselves or other third parties that offer products and services that you may enjoy and/or benefit from using. We share information only for legitimate business purposes. If you do not wish to receive any or all such programs or services, please let us know by emailing us at any time at privacy@usnewsuniversityconnection.com.

In order to comply with federal anti-spam laws, effective January 1, 2004, we provide a suppression file containing the e-mail addresses of those who ask to be removed from our distribution database to any third party who provides e-mail marketing services to our company.

What about “cookies”?

We use “cookies” as part of our interaction with your browser. A “cookie” is a small text file placed on your computer’s hard drive by our web page server. “Cookies” are commonly used by websites and do not harm your system. By configuring your preferences or options in your browser, you determine if and how a “cookie” will be accepted. We use “cookies” to determine if you have previously visited our website and for a number of administrative purposes. These “cookies” do not collect personally identifiable information, and we do not combine information collected through “cookies” with other personal information to determine who you are or your email address.

We may use third party advertising companies to serve ads on our site. These companies may employ cookies and action tags (also known as single pixel gifs or web beacons) to measure advertising effectiveness. Any information that these third parties collect via cookies and action tags is completely anonymous.

How does USNUC protect customer information?

We use technologies designed to keep information secure when transmitting and receiving customer data, to help ensure its security. We have security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the personal information you submit via our website which is under our control. Our servers are backed up regularly and protected by security systems.

Keeping customer information up-to-date

Keeping your contact information accurate and up-to-date is very important. If you ever find that our records are incomplete, inaccurate or not current, please email us at privacy@usnewsuniversityconnection.com and we will correct the information as soon as possible. If you prefer to learn about new offers from USNUC through a specific medium — for example, through the mail — simply let us know your preference by sending us an email at privacy@usnewsuniversityconnection.com.

E-Mail Opt Out

We honor all requests to be removed from our e-mail lists within ten days of our receipt of your request. If you do not want to receive e-mail messages from USNUC, contact us at privacy@usnewsuniversityconnection.com and we will add you to our e-mail suppression file. Our physical address is:
U.S. News University Connection, LLC
Attn: Internet List Services
9417 Princess Palm Avenue
Tampa, Florida, 33619

Our process is designed to comply with your wishes regarding receiving commercial e-mail messages from us and with the laws regarding unsolicited e-mail. However, if for any reason you believe you have received a commercial e-mail message directly from us or on our behalf more than ten days after making a request to be taken off our e-mailing list, we would request that you forward a copy of the e-mail to privacy@usnewsuniversityconnection.com with a brief explanation of your efforts to unsubscribe and the approximate timeframe you made the request. We will immediately investigate the matter, confirm that your address is in our suppression file, and provide a written response to you detailing our efforts.

Complementary Forums

Our website may make chat rooms, forums, message boards and/or news groups, editorial content, and other social media channels (Complementary Forums) available to its users. Please remember that any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information.

Complementary Forums Terms of Service

The following terms, conditions, and policies (“Complementary Forums Terms”), in addition to the Privacy Policy, and the Terms of Use, govern all services related to these Complementary Forums (the “Service”), including any future amendments (collectively, “Agreements”). We may, in our sole discretion, modify or revise these Complementary Forums Terms at any time, and you agree to be bound by such modifications or revisions. If you do not accept and abide by the Complementary Forums Terms, you may not use the Service. These Complementary Forums Terms, along with applicable provisions of the general Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (including the section regarding limitation of liability), shall survive expiration or termination.

1. Description of Service: The Service is a web service. You will be responsible for all activities occurring under your username and for keeping your password, if any, secure. You understand and agree that the Service is provided to you on an AS IS and AS AVAILABLE basis. USNUC disclaims all responsibility and liability for the availability, timeliness, security or reliability of the Service. USNUC also reserves the right to modify, suspend or discontinue the Service with or without notice at any time and without any liability to you. USNUC reserves the right to refuse or limit access to the Service to anyone at any time without notice for any reason.


2. Proper Use: You agree that you are responsible for your own use of the Service, for any posts you make, and for any consequences thereof. You agree that you will use the Service in compliance with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws, rules and regulations, including any laws regarding the transmission of technical data exported from your country of residence and all United States export control laws. You also agree to abide by the following Content Policy:
   Content Policy: Our content policy plays an important role in maintaining the experience for you, the users. Please respect these guidelines. Users may not publish materials that contain: Pornography and/or obscenity, including materials that contain nudity, sexually graphic material, or material that is otherwise deemed explicit by Bisk; Hateful Content including material that promotes hate toward groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, and sexual orientation/gender identity; Violent Content, including material that contains direct threats of violence against any person or group of people; Private and Confidential Information, including the publishing of information, such as credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, and driver’s and other license numbers.
   USNUC reserves the right, but shall have no obligation, to investigate your use of the Service in order to (a) determine whether a violation of the Agreements has occurred or (b) comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request.


3. Content of the Service: USNUC takes no responsibility for third-party content (including, without limitation, any viruses or other disabling features), nor does USNUC have any obligation to monitor such third-party content. USNUC reserves the right at all times to remove or refuse to distribute any content on the Service, such as content which violates the terms of the Agreements. USNUC also reserves the right to access, read, preserve, and disclose any information as it reasonably believes is necessary to (a) satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request, (b) enforce the Agreements, including investigation of potential violations hereof, (c) detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues, (d) respond to user support requests, or (e) protect the rights, property or safety of USNUC, its users and the public. USNUC will not be responsible or liable for the exercise or non-exercise of its rights under the Agreements.
   By its very nature, the Services may carry inaccurate or postings that have been mislabeled or are otherwise deceptive. We expect that you will use caution and common sense and exercise proper judgment when using the Service. USNUC does not endorse, support, represent or guarantee the truthfulness, accuracy, or reliability of any communications posted via the Service or endorse any opinions expressed via the Service. You acknowledge that any reliance on material posted via the Service will be at your own risk.


4. Intellectual Property Rights: USNUC’s Intellectual Property Rights. You acknowledge that USNUC owns all right, title and interest in and to the Service, including all intellectual property rights (the “USNUC Rights”) as protected by U.S. and international intellectual property laws. Accordingly, you agree that you will not copy, reproduce, alter, modify, or create derivative works from the Service. You also agree that you will not use any robot, spider, other automated device, or manual process to monitor or copy any content from the Service. As described immediately below, USNUC Rights do not include third-party content appearing on the Service. Your Intellectual Property Rights. USNUC claims no ownership or control over any content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through the Service. You or a third party licensor, as appropriate, retain all patent, trademark and copyright to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the Service and you are responsible for protecting those rights, as appropriate. By submitting, posting or displaying content on or through USNUC services which are intended to be available to the members of the public, you grant USNUC a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, publish and distribute such content. USNUC furthermore reserves the right to refuse to accept, post, display or transmit any content in its sole discretion.


5. Representations and Warranties: You represent and warrant that (a) all of the information provided by you to USNUC to participate in the Service is correct and current; and (b) you have all necessary right, power and authority to enter into the Agreements and to perform the acts required of you hereunder. You also represent and warrant that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the rights granted herein to any content submitted. You may choose to submit, post, and display any materials on or through the Service under a public license (e.g. a Creative Commons license), by manually marking your materials as such. For avoidance of doubt, USNUC is not a party to any such public license between you and any third party. Additionally, it should be noted that, the Indemnification, Limitation on Liability, and the Disclaimer, as contained in the Bisk Terms of Use are hereby incorporated and applicable to the Service.


6. No Resale of the Service: Unless expressly authorized in writing by USNUC, you agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade, resell or exploit for any commercial purposes (a) any portion of the Service, (b) use of the Service, or (c) access to the Service.


7. Publicity: Any use of USNUC’s trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos, domain names, and other distinctive brand features (“Brand Features”), must be in compliance with the Agreements.

Links

We may include links to other websites on the USNUC website. We do not control such websites and are not responsible for any content appearing on those sites. In addition, many other sites that are not associated or authorized by us may have links leading to our site. We cannot control these links and are not responsible for any content appearing on these sites.

[Close Window]