OCE Website Privacy Statement
Introduction
Online Course Exchange (OCE) knows
you care how information about you is used and shared, and we appreciate your trust
that we'll do so carefully and sensibly. This notice describes our privacy policy.
We will collect and use information through our Web site only in the ways disclosed
in this statement. By visiting onlinecourseexchange.com, you're accepting the practices
described in this Privacy Notice. This statement applies solely to information collected
at OCE’s Web site.
Information Collection and Usage
When you visit the Online Course
Exchange website, the server automatically collects a limited amount of information
from your computer essential for the sites operation and security. Information collected
includes your computers IP address, the name of your Internet Service Provider,
information concerning your browser and operating system, as well as the page visited
prior to accessing OCE's website. This information is used to perform statistical
analysis of user trends and interests and to help us make this site more useful
to visitors. We collect the following general data that is not personally identifiable
information: trail a user follows throughout the website, number of new visitors,
number of repeat visitors, IP addresses, ISP names, browser and operating system
information, etc. We collect demographic data in order to assist with our website
design structure by viewing in an anonymous light the path that users tend to take
through our website to find the information they need. OCE does not continue tracking
users after they leave our website, nor does OCE attempt to associate specific personal
information with visitors, though the possibility for doing so exists. OCE is only
interested in larger demographic trends in order to guide future website design
and handle resource management. OCE is not interested in building an information
model about you as a consumer.
In browsing the major portions of
our site, users do not need to provide any personally identifiable information about
themselves. However, in order to proceed through certain segments of our website,
OCE collects personally identifiable information, such as when applying for membership,
requesting advertising space, or requesting a Letter of Permission, etc. In these
cases information collected could include name, address, phone number, email address,
and in cases where fees are involved, credit card number and expiration date, etc.
Where financial information is requested, such as paying membership or course fees,
credit card numbers and expiration dates are required for normal, routine processing
of payment.
Online Course Exchange does make
limited use of cookies on its Web servers in some portions of our site, but not
in any manner that could impinge on your privacy. A cookie is a small text file
that our Web server places on a users computer hard drive as a unique identifier.
Cookies enable OCE to deliver customized content to users. Our cookies do have an
expiration date; typically very shortly after the user leaves our site. Our cookies
do collect personally identifiable information, as in the case of logging into a
part of the website authenticated with our user ID and password system. Without
cookies, users would have to resend their information to the server every time they
requested a page within an area restricted to registered users. OCE uses cookies
in this case to simplify the browsing experience. OCE does not use cookies for any
purposes other than what is listed in this document. The information we collect
is not used to create customer profiles based on browsing history. We do not supplement
information collected at our Web site with data from other sources.
Online Course Exchange does not
share data with third parties unless required by law to do so. Please note that
this excludes situations where the user wishes OCE to share data with third parties,
as in the case of information transfers between universities.
Occasionally on the OCE website,
such as on Learner Resources Web page, we offer links to other Web sites. When you
click on links to other Web sites, we encourage you to read their privacy policies.
Their standards may differ from ours, and we can take no responsibility for information
collected on other sites linked to from our site.
Please be advised that our privacy
policy may change over time. Users are encouraged to check it regularly.
Part II. Privacy of Student Information
This personal information is being collected under the authority of the Home Institution for the purpose of verifying your student status and by the Host Institution for the purposes of admission, registration, decisions on your academic status and to provide you with information related to your studies at the OCE member Host
Institution. It may be shared with other educational institutions. This information is protected by the Protection on Privacy provisions of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Part III. Access to Information
OCE realizes that users have a right
to view information collected about them. Users may access their own personal information
and contact OCE through email (websupport@onlinecourseexchange.com)
about inaccuracies they may find. While OCE cannot guarantee immediate compliance,
we will make every effort to assure that such requests are carried out to the fullest
of our ability and in a reasonable time frame. If there are any further questions
regarding information usage or handling, please contact Online Course Exchange.
Part IV. Data Storage and Security
Online Course Exchange is dedicated
to preventing unauthorized data access, maintaining data accuracy, and ensuring
the appropriate use of information. We strive to put in place appropriate physical,
electronic, and managerial safeguards to secure the information we collect online.
To this end we use firewalls, data disconnection from the Internet, and regular
backups.
OCE reserves the right to remove
any information deemed inappropriate or infraction of these terms of use at its
sole discretion.
OCE also reserves the right to terminate anyone’s access
to our services without notice, at any time, for any reason.