Policy on Alumni Data Requests

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Policy Category: Institutional Advancement and External Relations

Effective Date: 11/8/23

Responsible Officer: Institutional Advancement and External Relations

History: Updating the Alumni Request Policy

Responsible Office: Office of the General Counsel

Location: Link

Purpose

 This policy is intended to provide guidance to Wentworth Institute of Technology (henceforth known as “the university” or “Wentworth”) related to alumni data requests.

Scope/Availability

This policy applies to all members of the Wentworth community, students, faculty, staff, and affiliates.

Legal

n/a

Policy

  1. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that alumni data is always as accurate as possible and to manage the care and control of personal information that is consistent with Wentworth’s policies regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. 
  2. This policy aims to mitigate against multiple custodianships that defeats efficient management of the personal information of alumni held by the university, and ensure that consistent, accurate information about alumni are maintained  

Definitions

  • Alumni Data: Data collected by the university through surveys, visits, and/or research including, but not limited to, biographical, contact, educational, relationship, employment, and giving information.

Procedure(s)

Use and Sharing Restrictions

  1. Limitation on Sharing: Alumni data will be shared only with Wentworth staff and student workers on a need-to-know basis; with authorized users via directory information in the online community services; and with approved partners of Wentworth for the purpose of advancing a program designed to serve Wentworth alumni. Wentworth will not share personal information with third parties for their use independent of authorized Wentworth alumni activities. In addition, Wentworth may confirm school and year of graduation information with requesters, typically employers verifying resume information, unless the individual has requested a nondisclosure as a student or upon graduation.   
  2. Emergency Circumstances: Wentworth may disclose personal information if, in Wentworth’s sole judgment, such disclosure is necessary to protect the health, safety or property of any person. 
  3. Law-Related Disclosures: Wentworth may disclose personal information as required by law in connection with judicial or administrative proceedings or if, in the sole discretion of Wentworth, the disclosure is necessary to protect the university. 
  4. Third Party Product and Service Offerings: Wentworth partners with organizations that offer products and services that provide a significant and desired benefit to many Wentworth alumni. Wentworth provides such data for approved programming purposes, consistent with privacy preferences expressed by alumni provided that these organizations agree in writing to specific privacy requirements.  
  5. Alumni Groups, Student Groups, and Volunteers: Alumni clubs, affinity groups, student groups, class representatives and volunteers are important partners of Wentworth and play a vital role in keeping alumni connected to the university. As a result, Wentworth may provide such groups, based upon their presentation of the proposed use of data or the overall program, certain alumni data, consistent with privacy preferences expressed by alumni, provided that these organizations agree in writing to specific privacy and security requirements. 
  6. Assurances by Staff: All Wentworth staff with access to the alumni data system will agree in writing to abide by privacy preferences expressed by alumni and by Wentworth’s Privacy Policy.  

Access to Alumni Records

  1. Requests for alumni information may be made by faculty, administrators, staff and student leadership by submitting an Advancement Services ticket request. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is requested that tickets be submitted at least 45 days ahead of the requested delivery date.  
  2. Prior to releasing information and to ensure that activities or services are not duplicated, Advancement Services will verify that any requested uses of alumni information are not in conflict with other planned or occurring institutional objectives.    
  3. In connection with each request for alumni information, Advancement Services will clarify the intent of a request for the specific alumni information. Solicitations are to occur only through Institutional Advancement and External Relations. 
  4. Any requested alumni information received by a faculty, administrator or staff member must be destroyed or deleted following use.   
  5. All requests for alumni information must be submitted by an authorized Wentworth employee or affiliate from an administrative or academic unit; or approved affiliation. 

Custodianship of Alumni Information

Administrative and academic units that have collected or currently receive biographical information (e.g. address, name, telephone, email) from alumni must forward the updates in a timely manner to Advancement Services for confirmation and inclusion in the centralized administrative systems.  Email all updates to DataUpdate@wit.edu. 

Faculty, administrators, and staff members shall not maintain separate “shadow databases” of data on Wentworth alumni in either electronic or hardcopy format. 

All Wentworth employees have the responsibility for assisting in the maintenance of an accurate centralized IAER database.   

Wentworth will maintain a centralized database of official alumni records within the IAER administrative systems. This database will exist separately from and in addition to the Registrar’s official record. 

Additional Information & Related Documents

Policy on Donor Giving Information

Interpretation & Revision

Any questions of interpretation regarding this policy shall be referred to the Director of Advancement Services & CRM. They will be the final authority regarding the interpretation of this policy.   

This policy shall be reviewed every three years; however, minor changes and updates can be made at any time.    

Wentworth will typically apply the policy in place at the time it receives a report concerning the respected policy.   

Review and Revision History

This policy was drafted by representatives from the division of Institutional Advancement and External Relations. This policy was reviewed by Cabinet and approved by the President on 11/8/23.