How WVU’s MIX Platform Works
The WVU’s MIX platform relies on information held behind the institution's firewall in secure campus databases. With this information, the system provides Web-based access to critical services and powerful tools from anywhere and at anytime.
Collecting Information about WVU MIX Users
WVU MIX collects the following types of information about users:
- When you log into your institution's MIX Web platform, the system creates a log file to record where you go and what you do. This file contains no personally identifiable information.
- The MIX Web platform uses a browser feature called a "cookie." Cookies are pieces of information that a Web site transfers to your computer's memory for record keeping purposes. The cookie used by the MIX Web platform is not saved on the hard disk of your computer, nor does it contain any personal information. Its sole purpose is to identify a logged-in user.
All personally identifiable data collected by the MIX system are protected using industry standard methods such as firewalls and secure socket layers.
MIX’s internal policies and procedures also protect your privacy with respect to any personal information that you have shared with us.
How WVU MIX Utilizes Information About Users
The information that we collect guides us in enhancing the features, functionality, and experience that the MIX system provides. Specifically, we may use it in the following ways:
- We may aggregate depersonalized log files in order to assess how people use the MIX Web platform, so that we can enhance our services and offerings. An individual user's personal information or usage pattern cannot be identified from this aggregation.
- We may use information you provide about yourself to tailor portions of our interface, in order to provide you with relevant content and messages.
- We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to (i) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on MIX; (ii) protect and defend the rights or property of WVU. or the users of the WVU MIX system; or (iii) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of MIX or of the public.
- In limited circumstances, we may also disclose personal information if we inform you that we intend to do so when we collect the information.
The WVU MIX system is directed to higher education students, faculty, and administrative personnel. It is not directed to children under the age of thirteen. However, we are aware that a small percentage of higher education students may fall within that category. We recognize that those students have exclusive rights to their educational records as set forth in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 ("FERPA"), and acknowledge that those rights afforded by that legislation may conflict with certain provisions of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1999 ("COPPA"). Accordingly, MIX will comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1999 to the extent that it does not conflict with the established rights extended to all higher education students by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
Other Privacy Considerations
Privacy is a serious issue in the online environment. Whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information online-through e-mail, message boards, or chat rooms-this information can be collected and used by others. If you post personal information online that is publicly accessible, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return.
While we strive to protect your privacy, WVU cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information transmitted to us through publicly accessible channels, and you do so at your own risk. In addition, the MIX Web platform contains links to other sites, which have separate privacy and data collection practices independent of our own operations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these entities, and encourage you to read the privacy policies of each outside site that you visit. We advise you to act carefully and responsibly online, maintain the secrecy of passwords and account information, and to be aware of the risks and responsibilities of Internet usage.
WVU’s MIX will post all changes to this policy on this page so that you will know what information we collect and how we may use or disclose that information. We are available to answer privacy questions at mix@mail.wvu.edu.