Alumni Data Request Policy

The Advancement data policies are intended to achieve the following:

to ensure that alumni data are 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;
to mitigate against multiple custodianships that defeats efficient management of the personal information of alumni held by the Institute; and
to ensure that consistent, accurate information about alumni is readily available in a timely fashion to other Institute constituent groups requiring the information for activities deemed appropriate by the Institute.

General Privacy Statement. Wentworth Institute of Technology understands the importance of protecting the privacy of personal information, especially in today’s increasingly electronic environment. Wentworth seeks to enhance opportunities and services for Wentworth alumni, consistent with strong privacy protections for alumni data. Wentworth has adopted the following policy and related procedures to protect alumni data and provide alumni with appropriate control over the use, accuracy, and availability of their data. For example, if alumni choose to opt-out of email correspondence, this will be respected by an office requesting alumni email data.

Advancement Services, of the Department of Institutional Advancement, on behalf of Wentworth Institute of Technology, collects, discloses and uses the personal information of alumni in accordance with good privacy and stewardship principles.

Questions regarding the collection, use, retention, disclosure and disposal of personal information held by Advancement Services should be sent to the Director of Advancement Services.

Scope. This policy applies to all academic and administrative areas of Wentworth Institute of Technology that would like access to alumni information for purposes of communication – but not for solicitation.

Use and Sharing Restrictions

Purpose Restriction. Requesting departments will use alumni data only for Wentworth alumni-oriented outreach, service, development, and engagement programs. Such programs include, for example, communicating about alumni events, fundraising activities (through the Institutional Advancement Office), building relationships, and offering online community services.
Limitation on Sharing. Alumni data will be shared only with Wentworth staff and student workers on a need to know; 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 alumnus has requested a nondisclosure as a student or an alumnus.
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 Alumni & Donor privacy policy.
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 Institute. 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 found on the Alumni Data Request Form.
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.
Law-Related Disclosures. Wentworth may disclose your 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 institution.
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.

Access to Alumni Records

Advancement Services will assist faculty, administrators and staff members by providing convenient, timely retrieval of alumni information as needed in the course of executing their departmental activities carried out on behalf of Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Faculty, administrators and staff members can request the most recent data from Advancement Services each time it is required by contacting the Director of Advancement Services.
All requests for alumni information must be submitted via a designated form by an authorized Wentworth employee or affiliate from an administrative or academic unit; or approved affiliation. This can be found on the Alumni Data Request Form.
Any requested alumni information received by a faculty, administrator or staff member must be destroyed or deleted following use.
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 the Advancement Office.
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.
Requests for data will occur 10 business days before the required delivery of data.

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
Wentworth will maintain a centralized database of official alumni records within the Office of Institutional Advancement’s administrative systems.
All Wentworth employees have the responsibility for assisting in the maintenance of an accurate centralized Advancement database.
Faculty, administrators, and staff members shall not maintain separate “shadow databases” of data on Wentworth alumni in either electronic or hardcopy format.

Last update: March 7, 2019