PRIVACY MATTERS
The University of Arizona ("University") respects and values the privacy of all individuals who engage with its programs and services. Privacy encompasses one’s personal information, communication, environment, and physical being. We understand that advances in technology have heightened concerns about privacy. Through our privacy policies, statements, and principles, we strive to be transparent about our practices and the potential impact on individual privacy. As a public research institution, we balance privacy interests with our legal obligations and other important values, such as safety, accountability, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Privacy Principles
The enactment of these Privacy Principles demonstrates privacy as an important value at the University. The University recognizes that data use can be personally beneficial to students, employees, and the University community, and that these benefits must be balanced with individuals’ data privacy rights and expectations.
These principles represent the University’s commitment to be a privacy leader in the era of big data and information-sharing consistent with the overall teaching, research, and public service missions of the University. The principles outlined below will help guide the University as it looks to fulfill its goals.
The University is committed to making privacy a consideration in any University process or activity that involves personal information, and as much as possible, make appropriate access controls a default setting without requiring individuals to request limited privacy settings.
The University provides reasonable advance notice to individuals about how and for what legitimate institutional or education purpose personal information is collected, used, or disclosed. The University will collect, use, and disclose only the minimum amount of information necessary to accomplish the stated purpose.
When possible, control over personal information should remain with individuals to allow for choice regarding the disposition of their information. The University will provide individuals with the opportunity to correct inaccurate personal information.
The University is committed to respecting individual constitutional and civil rights and using personal information only as authorized by individuals from whom the information is collected, or as required or permitted by law. Use of individuals’ personal information by the University will be limited to education and mission-based institutional purposes.
The University is committed to protecting personal information by adopting privacy and information security controls and through employee training for how to responsibly collect, process, maintain, use, and disclose personal information.
All University employees are stewards of the personal information for which they have been entrusted and have access and are accountable for knowing and applying these Privacy Principles.
The University is committed to being future-thinking, present-minded, and past-respectful in its privacy practices by monitoring changes in data privacy laws, regulations, trends, and perspectives, and adjusting University practices accordingly.