Privacy Information

Web Privacy and Information Accuracy

The SUNY Geneseo website (Geneseo.edu) does not collect personally identifiable information from our visitors unless they choose to provide that information to us. However, certain information about our site visitors is automatically collected and stored using Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. Google Analytics uses cookies to help us analyze how users use our site. The generic information we collect is based on IP address (the location of a computer or network), and includes data such as the date and time users access the site, which pages they visit, and their geographical region. SUNY Geneseo uses this information to create summary statistics for such purposes as assessing what information on the web site is of most and least interest, or identifying system performance or problem areas.

In addition, SUNY Geneseo uses Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting and Google signals. Demographics and Interest Reporting provides anonymized data about the age and gender of visitors, along with interests they express through online travel and purchasing activities. This data is not associated with any specific users, but is presented in aggregate.

Google signals associates visitation information with Google information from accounts of signed-in users who have consented to this association for the purpose of ads personalization. This Google information may include end user location, search history, YouTube history, and data from sites that partner with Google—and is used to provide aggregated and anonymized insights into users' cross device behaviors. Information about specific users is not provided.

SUNY Geneseo may also use Google Ads to advertise across the Internet. Ads remarketing will display relevant ads based on what parts of the Geneseo website you have viewed, by placing a cookie on your machine. This cookie does not in any way identify you or provide access to your computer; instead, it is used to tell Google that you have shown interest in a section or page on the site, and will show you ads relating to that topic.

You can opt out of the use of cookies and set preferences for how Google advertises to you through Google Ad Settings. You may find more information about opting out of interest-based advertising on the NAI Consumer Opt-Out website.

Links to External Web Sites

Links from this web site to web sites outside SUNY Geneseo are for the convenience of the user. Such links do not constitute an official endorsement or approval of any private sector web site, product, or service.

Disclaimer of Liability

Every effort is made to provide accurate and complete information. However, we cannot guarantee that there will be no errors. With respect to documents and information on this website neither the State University of New York at Geneseo, nor their employees and contractors make any warranty, expressed or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to documents available from this web site. Additionally, the State University of New York assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information or process disclosed herein and do not represent that use of such information or process would not infringe on privately owned rights.

This page is administered by Computing and Information Technology in conjunction with the Office of Communications & Marketing at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Please report any errors to web@geneseo.edu.

GDPR Privacy Notice

SUNY Geneseo is committed to respecting and protecting the privacy rights of persons in the European Economic Area ("EEA"), comprised of the European Union ("EU") and the countries of Iceland, Norway, and Lichtenstein, pursuant to the EU General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"). This privacy notice outlines how SUNY Geneseo collects, processes, discloses and uses information that you share with SUNY Geneseo through our websites, other electronic systems, paper forms, and otherwise.

Applicability of this GDPR Privacy Notice

This GDPR Privacy Notice applies to you if all of the following factors are met:

  • You are a natural person—not a corporation, partnership, or other legal entity—who is physically present in the EEA;
  • "Personal Information" - any information that relates to or identifies you as an individual as is further described below - is provided while you are physically present in the EEA;
  • Such Personal Information is not earlier or later provided to SUNY Geneseo while you are physically outside the EEA; and,
  • Such Personal Information is provided to SUNY Geneseo:
    • During the course of SUNY Geneseo offering you goods or services;
    • While SUNY Geneseo is monitoring your behavior or health;
    • While you are associated with any of SUNY Geneseo’s programs;
    • While you are participating in human research projects; or
    • While you are receiving health treatment.

Please note that information pertaining to current, former, or prospective employment with SUNY Geneseo within the United States is not considered "Personal Information" and is excluded from this GDPR Privacy Notice.

Personal Information SUNY Geneseo Collects

SUNY Geneseo collects Personal Information – information relating to a personally identifiable individual – in order to fulfill its mission as a public institution of higher education. SUNY Geneseo requires Personal Information only when necessary.

Personal Information collected by SUNY Geneseo typically includes an individual’s name, email address, phone number, transcript, academic record, student organization membership, work history, work performance, letters of recommendation, demographic information, documentation provided to support financial aid applications, donor information, IP addresses, browser and computer information, how you interact with our websites and electronic communications, and in some cases your medical and health information and information observed as part of a research study.

In addition to this, SUNY Geneseo may process some information about you that is classed as "sensitive" or "special category" personal data, which requires additional protections. This includes information concerning your ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or health/disability that we use for planning and monitoring purposes, or in order to provide care, help, or suitable adjustments. For certain courses of study, other sensitive information may be processed, such as information about past criminal convictions, working with children or vulnerable adults, and your fitness to practice in certain regulated professions.

Access to, and the sharing of, your "sensitive" personal data are carefully controlled. You will normally be given further details about our use of any such data when we collect it from you.

Legal Basis for Processing Your Personal Information

SUNY Geneseo’s processing activities of your Personal Information may rely on different lawful grounds depending on the circumstances. Generally speaking, we typically rely upon one or more of the following lawful bases to process your Personal Information under the GDPR:

  • Necessity to enter or for the performance of a contract (e.g., online applications, information provided when enrolling, or for payment information to pay tuition)
  • Necessity of SUNY Geneseo’s legitimate interests or those of third parties (e.g., evaluate candidates for admissions, financial aid, housing, and/or maintain a community for alumni)
  • Necessity of SUNY Geneseo’s compliance with legal requirements imposed by state or federal law
  • Consent (e.g., for the research projects you may participate in; for processing of special categories of personal data)

We consider the processing of your Personal Information to be either necessary for the performance of our contractual obligations with you (e.g. to manage your education, student experience and welfare while studying at SUNY Geneseo), necessary for compliance with a legal obligation (e.g., visa monitoring), necessary for the performance of tasks we carry out in the public interest (e.g., teaching and research), or necessary for the pursuit of the legitimate interests of SUNY Geneseo or an external organization (e.g., to enable your access to external services). SUNY Geneseo requires you to provide us with any information we reasonably ask for to enable us to administer our relationship with you. If we require your consent for any specific use of your personal information, we will collect it at the appropriate time, and you can withdraw this at any time. Where we ask for any "sensitive" information, such as that concerning your ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or health/disability, you will normally have the option to refuse your consent by not supplying it.

How SUNY Geneseo Obtains Personal Information

SUNY Geneseo obtains your Personal Information:

  • From You, the Data Subject: SUNY Geneseo may receive your Personal Information when you visit SUNY Geneseo’s websites, apply for or attend classes or programs, apply for or take online courses, travel with SUNY Geneseo to a location in the EEA, attend events sponsored by SUNY Geneseo in the EEA, participate in research, voluntarily or involuntarily receive medical treatment or services, or otherwise interact with SUNY Geneseo in the EEA.
  • From Third Parties: SUNY Geneseo may also receive your Personal Information from third parties. Examples include, without limitation, exam scores received from testing agencies, and registration information received from third parties that administer online courses. SUNY Geneseo also may receive information from other individuals or institutions who provide treatment and services, from public health services, from law enforcement, and from other researchers, as well as from those who process the information provided on behalf of these entities.

Certain Personal Information collected by SUNY Geneseo is required for SUNY Geneseo to be able to provide you with educational services, employment, or treatment as a patient. In the event you do not provide such information, SUNY Geneseo may be unable to provide you with the requested services.

Use of Personal Information

How SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information depends upon the context in which it was provided:

  • Prospective Students – SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information in order to consider you for admission to a campus or a particular program, to award financial aid and merit-based scholarships, and to track the effectiveness of our communications and programs.
  • Students – SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information to provide you with higher education services, comply with our legal obligations, enforce SUNY Geneseo policies and procedures, and to improve the overall student experience on our campuses and the effectiveness of our programs. Some examples of these include registering you for classes, tracking attendance, evaluating your academic performance, submitting required reports to federal and state regulatory authorities and our accrediting bodies, providing you with academic and career advising, providing housing and food services, evaluating student organizations, evaluating academic programs, and providing letters of recommendation and transcripts to prospective employers or other institutions.
  • Alumni & Friends – SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information to track, maintain, and evaluate our relationship with you, provide you with communications and invitations to campus events, assist you with obtaining employment or admission to another educational institution or program, and to evaluate academic and employment outcomes.
  • Prospective Employees – SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information to consider you for employment, evaluate the effectiveness of our recruitment programs, establish minimum requirements for positions, and to improve the attractiveness of SUNY Geneseo as an employer.
  • Current Employees – SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information to perform necessary tasks related to your status as an employee, to contact the appropriate person in the event of an emergency, to investigate violations of SUNY Geneseo policy, to improve the overall employment experience at SUNY Geneseo.
  • Patients – SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information to deliver health care services including billing and submission of claims to insurance companies, responding to your inquiries regarding your experience as a patient, complying with federal and state reporting requirements, and providing information to accrediting bodies.
  • Research Participants – SUNY Geneseo uses your Personal Information to fulfill the objectives of a particular research project, and to provide any promised compensation or other incentives.

SUNY Geneseo may use your Personal Information for other purposes and will provide you with specific information at the time such alternate use arises.

Sharing of Your Personal Information

SUNY Geneseo does not sell your Personal Information and only shares your Personal Information with third parties if there is a legitimate institutional need to do so. SUNY Geneseo may share your Personal Information with the following recipients:

  • With SUNY System Administration and other campuses within the SUNY System in order to govern, administer, and improve the SUNY system.
  • With SUNY’s affiliated entities including the Research Foundation for the State University of New York, individual campus foundations, campus faculty student associations, and other affiliated entities in order to provide ancillary services.
  • SUNY Geneseo's service providers may access your personal information to fulfill the university's mission or enhance the student/employee experience.
  • With accrediting agencies in order to obtain or maintain accreditations for SUNY Geneseo.
  • With the Federal, State, and local governments or regulatory authorities as required by law or as necessary to fulfill the mission of SUNY Geneseo.

Please note that the University may provide anonymized data developed from Personal Information to third parties, such as government entities and research collaborators, and that such anonymized data is outside the scope of this GDPR Privacy Notice.

Your Rights Regarding Your Personal Information

SUNY Geneseo is committed to facilitating the exercise of the rights granted to you by the GDPR in a timely manner. In the context of our processing activities that are subject to the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access, correction, and other requests – You have the right to obtain confirmation of whether we process your personal data, as well as the right to obtain information about the personal data we process about you. You also have a right to obtain a copy of this data. Additionally, and under certain circumstances, you may have the right to obtain erasure, correction, restriction, and portability of your personal data.
  • Right to object – You have the right to object to receiving marketing materials from us by following the opt-out instructions in our marketing emails, as well as the right to object to any processing of your personal data based on your specific situation. In the latter case, we will assess your request and provide a reply in a timely manner, according to our legal obligations.
  • Right to withdrawal consent – For all the processing operations that are based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, and we will stop those processing operations as allowable by law.

In addition to the rights provided by the GDPR, you may also have rights with respect to your Personal Information pursuant to U.S. federal law, state law, and/or SUNY policy. These include, without limitation, policies pertaining to student education records and policies pertaining to certain health records that SUNY Geneseo maintains.

In order to exercise any of these rights, except the right to file a complaint with an EU supervisory authority, you should submit your request to the identified GDPR SUNY Geneseo contact listed at the bottom of this Notice.

Please note that when you make requests based on these rights, if we are not certain of your identity, we may need to ask you for further personal information to be used only for the purposes of replying to your request.

Security of Your Personal Information

SUNY Geneseo implements appropriate physical, technical, and organizational security measures to protect your Personal Information consistent with the requirements of law and the policies of the SUNY Board of Trustees.

Retention and Destruction of Your Personal Information

SUNY Geneseo will retain your Personal Information for as long as there is a legitimate need to do so and in accordance with the SUNY Records Retention and Disposition Policy, the retention policy of your particular campus, and applicable federal and state law. Retention periods vary and are established considering our legitimate interests and all applicable legal requirements.

Data Transfer Outside of the EEA

SUNY Geneseo is based in the United States and is subject to U.S. and New York State law. Personal Information that you provide to SUNY Geneseo will generally be hosted on U.S.-based servers. 

To the extent that SUNY Geneseo needs to transfer your information either:

  • (a) from the EEA to the U.S. or another country 
  • (b) from the U.S. to another country, 
    • SUNY Geneseo will do so on the basis of either 
      • (i) an "adequacy decision" by the European Commission; 
      • (ii) EU-sanctioned "appropriate safeguards" for transfer such as model clauses, a copy of which you may request, if applicable, by contacting SUNY Geneseo as set forth below; 
      • (iii) your explicit and informed consent; or 
      • (iv) it being necessary for the performance of a contract or the implementation of pre-contractual measures with SUNY Geneseo measures generally taken at your request (e.g., for the transfer of personal data necessary for your application for admission).

 Please note that the U.S. is not currently considered a safe harbor country under the GDPR.

Concerns and Contact Information

If you have any concerns or questions about this notice or how your Personal Information is used, please contact us at registrar@geneseo.edu. SUNY Geneseo will attempt to promptly address any concern you may have about our data collection and use policies. However, if you believe we have not been able to deal with your concern appropriately, you have a right to complain to your local data protection authority, as granted by Article 77 of the GDPR. You also have the right to submit a complaint in the Member State of your residence, place of work, or of an alleged infringement of the GDPR.

Updates to GDPR Privacy Notice

SUNY Geneseo may update this GDPR Privacy Notice from time to time. Any changes will become effective upon posting of the revised GDPR Privacy Notice.