Privacy Notice for EU Students on GEO Programs

 
Effective Date:  September 11, 2018

George Mason University (“Mason”, “we”, “our”) respects your privacy.  This Privacy Notice describes the types of personal data we collect about students from European Universities who plan to attend Mason on a study abroad program, how we use the personal data, and with whom we share it.  We also describe the rights you may have and how you can contact us about our privacy practices.  For the purpose of this Privacy Notice, personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.
 
1. Personal Data We Collect 
We are provided with the personal data that you provide to us.  In addition, we are provided with personal data about you by the university where you are enrolled, pursuant to our agreement with that university.  This personal data includes your: 

• Name;
• Birth date;
• Nationality and passport information;
• Academic record;
• Contact information, including your phone number, home address, and email address;
• Information necessary to complete your application for a J-1 visa;
• Information regarding your course of study at your home institution and at Mason;
• Information regarding any violation of Mason policies or violations of any policies of your home institution;
• Information necessary to address emergency situations while you are at Mason;

 
2. How We Use the Personal Data We Collect 
We use the personal data that we collect to: 

• Facilitate enrollment at Mason;
• Handle administrative matters related to your enrollment (e.g., awarding of credit for time spent abroad);
• Prepare your immigration records;
• Address emergency situations;
• Provide students with the materials required for their studies;
• Address violations of Mason policy

We use the personal data for these purposes because we have a legitimate interest ensuring the safety of students while abroad, complying with United States and Virginia law, administering our policies and procedures, and administering our academic programs effectively.
 
We also may use the personal data we collect to protect us against and prevent fraud, claims, and other liabilities and to comply with or enforce applicable legal requirements and our policies and terms.  We use personal data for these purposes when it is necessary to protect, exercise or defend our legal rights, or when we are required to do so by a law that applies to us.
 
If we plan to use the personal data that you provide for other purposes, we will provide an additional privacy notice to you to describe the purposes for which we will use the personal data and our legal basis for doing so.
 
3. How We Share Personal Data 
We may share personal data with your home university as part of the study abroad program in order to facilitate your course of study at that university.  We may also share it with the United States government for purposes of processing your visa and other immigration matters.
 
In addition, we may disclose personal data about you (i) if we are required or permitted to do so by law or legal process, for example due to a court order or a request from a law enforcement agency, (ii) when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss, (iii) in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual fraudulent or other illegal activity, and (iv) in the event we sell or transfer all or a portion of our business or assets (including in the event of a reorganization, dissolution, or liquidation).
 
4. How We Protect Personal Data 
Mason maintains technical and organizational safeguards to ensure an appropriate level of security and confidentiality for your personal data, in accordance with our policies and applicable legislation.
 
5. Retention of Personal Data 
We will retain your personal data for in compliance with the document retention regulations of the Library of Virginia.
 
6. Your Rights 
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to request access to and rectification of the personal data we maintain about you, or to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data or to object to that processing on grounds relating to your situation.
 
In addition, you may have the right to request erasure of your personal data from Mason’s systems in certain circumstances provided by applicable law.  Where technically feasible, upon written request and verifiable identification, we will provide you with a copy of the EEA personal data provided to us by you in a structured, commonly used, machine readable format.  To exercise these rights, please contact Mason as indicated below.  You may lodge a complaint with a data protection authority if you are not satisfied with our response.
 
7. Updates To Our Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice may be updated periodically to reflect changes in our personal data practices.  We will post a notice on our websites and/or send you an email to notify you of any significant changes to our Privacy Policy and indicate at the top of the notice when it was most recently updated.
 
8. How to Contact Us 
If you have questions about how Mason handles your personal data or would like to exercise your rights, please reach out by emailing or writing to us at: