This Privacy Policy was developed to assist you in understanding how Saras AI Institute (collectively, “we”, “us” or “Saras AI”) collect, use and safeguard information we obtain and hold about you. Saras AI students and alumni should also review our Privacy of student policy which outlines student rights with respect to education records held by Saras AI.
By using our websites, learning management system and other on-line properties (our ”Sites”), you expressly consent to our use of your information collected through those sites for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
You acknowledge that communications to, from, and through our Sites are not confidential. You agree that by submitting communications through our Sites, no confidential, fiduciary, contractually-implied or other relationship is created between you and Saras AI other than as specifically set out in and pursuant to this Privacy Policy or other terms posted to those sites.
1. What We Collect : Saras AI collects various types of information. Categories and examples of which include:
Your contact information (e.g. name, personal or work mailing address, email address, phone number, employer and job title) and other types of personal information, including sensitive personal information, used to process requests and applications relating to admission, financial aid, employment, partnerships, study abroad or other Saras AI programs and services (e.g. birth date, age, gender, sex, state or federal ID numbers, race, marital status, military status, parental and dependent information, educational history, employment history, professional certifications, passport and visa information, medical history information, insurance, tax and income information)Records of your communications with Saras AI (e.g. your IP address, login/logout dates, email open dates, email clicks, web traffic, contact preferences, student contact history, chat communications and information from feedback surveys)Technical information about your visit to or use of our Sites, (e.g. site analytics, browser information, referring URL’s, pages accessed, time and date accessed, operating system used, Google Analytics ID, other tracking data, session count, user count, and device type)Marketing information such as prospective student and partner leads, current interests and preferences (contact preferences, settings, etc.), your likeness and photoRecords pertaining to your time at Saras AI and your continuing affiliations with Saras AI (e.g. records of student work submitted through our learning management system and other academic records, financial aid records records of participation in academic organizations, disciplinary records, employment records and alumni and donor records) The above list is not exhaustive but we hope it will help you better understand the general types of information we collect. The exact information we collect, store and process about you will depend on your relationship with us. Not all types of information are collected on all individuals.
3. Other Applications and Software : This Privacy Policy does not apply to third party applications or software that integrates with our services through our Sites, or any other third-party products, services or websites. Please be aware that once you leave our Sites and enter another website our Privacy Policy is no longer in effect. We are not responsible for the privacy practices employed by these sites, nor the information or content contained therein. Please read over the rules and policies of these sites before proceeding.
4. Generated Content : Some of our sites and services may enable users to submit their own content for courses, assignments, contests,videos, chat functions, and other functions. Unless otherwise indicated, please remember that any information you submit or post as user-generated content to the services becomes public information. Please do not disclose your personal, financial, or other information in such submissions or posts. We cannot prevent others from using such information in a manner that may violate this Privacy Policy, the law, or your personal privacy and safety. We are not responsible for the results of such postings.
5. If you are accessing our Sites from outside of the United States (“U.S.”), including from the European Economic Area and Switzerland (collectively the “EEA/CH”) or other foreign countries, and you use our Sites or provide us with personal information via our Sites or through your communications with Saras AI representatives, your information will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy. By using our Sites or giving us your personal information you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to, and processed on servers located in, the U.S. and potentially other jurisdictions that may not have the same level of data protection as your jurisdiction. However, you agree and consent to our collection, transfer and processing of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. Saras AI may transfer your information within other Saras AI units and affiliates and/or the third parties as outlined above in Sharing Information with Third Parties. In addition, we may transfer your information outside your jurisdiction if the transfer is necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims, as well as if the transfer is necessary to protect your vital interests.
6. How We Collect Information : We collect information about you in various ways, including:Directly from you when you submit information through our online forms, including inquiry forms and enrollment application.At your direction, such as information from your prior institutions, employer, or Saras AI partners. This information may include transcripts and work history to help us evaluate transfer credits, or information from your employer to process employer-provided tuition assistance.Directly from third parties who may pass along certain information about your use of their services. For example, accessing your Saras AI account through a third-party connection or log-in (such as Facebook Connect, by “following,” “liking,” or adding the Saras AI application on your device) or linking your account to us.We also may collect publicly available information about you to provide a more personalized experience or otherwise validate the accuracy of our information. Through automated data tracking technologies, such as cookies, web beacons, or other similar technology (as described below).
Automatic Collection through Cookies and Other Technologies
We automatically collect information through use of cookies, web beacons and other tracking technologies that are part of our Sites. Cookies are small data files that are transferred to your computer or mobile device that allow us to recognize you and to pass information about your visit to different portions of our Sites. Most internet browsers accept cookies by default. Cookies used by Saras AI on our Sites may include:Strictly necessary cookies required for the operation of our Sites. Performance and functionality cookies that enhance the performance and functionality of our Sites and services, enable us to remember you and personalize content.Analytics and advertising cookies that allow us to understand the effectiveness of our marketing and make our advertising more relevant to you and your interests. Web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) are electronic files (code) that permit us, for example, to count users who have visited certain pages and for other related website statistics (for example, understanding the popularity of certain website content).Tracking technologies like cookies and web beacons may be set by us, or by third parties, like Google, Facebook or Amazon. We and these third parties may use cookies alone or in conjunction with web beacons or other tracking technologies to collect information about you when you use our Sites. The information collected may be associated with your personal information, or may include personal information, about your online activities over time and across different websites and other online services. We and these third parties may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content.Third Parties
Some content or applications on the Website are served by third parties, including advertisers, content providers, and application providers. When you use the Website, these third parties may use cookies or other tracking technologies to collect your information. This information may include your Personal Data or information about your online activities over time and across different websites. They may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content. Saras AI does not control third-party tracking technologies or how they may be used. You should contact the responsible third-party provider directly if you have questions about an advertisement or other targeted content.
We also use Google Analytics, which uses cookies or other tracking technologies to help us analyze how users interact with and use the Website, compile reports on activity, and provide other services related to activity and usage. Google Analytics may collect information such as your IP address, time of visit, whether you are a return visitor, and referring website. To learn more about how Google Analytics collects and processes data, you may visit http://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners. To understand how third-parties use tracking technologies, and your choices about how they use and disclose your information, you should review their respective privacy policies.
When you interact with any Saras AI page or account on a social media platform, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tumblr, YouTube, or Pinterest, when you use a third-party platform’s social login to our properties, or when you use webforms on those platforms, we may collect the public information that you make available on those platforms in accordance with those platforms’ respective policies. In addition, we sometimes collect personal information about you from third party sources such as our service providers and partners that have obtained your personal information through their own data collection practices (for example, if you sign up directly with that third party for their service). Some third parties that provide information to us may also share your information with other parties. Please be sure to read these parties’ respective privacy policies to understand their data collection practices, including how they may use the information they collect from you and your options to manage the data that is shared by them.Aggregate Information
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may use, process, transfer and store information about individuals in an anonymous (or pseudonymous) and aggregated manner. We may combine personal information with other information collected online and offline, including information from third party sources. We may also use information in other ways with consent. By using our Sites and services, you agree that we are licensed to collect, use, share and store anonymized (or pseudonymized) aggregated data collected through our Sites and services for benchmarking, analytics, research, reporting, machine learning and other business purposes.Automated Decisions
To the extent permitted by applicable law, we may collect data in an automated manner and make automated decisions, including machine learning algorithms, about individual users of Saras AI educational programs, our Sites and services in order to provide or optimize our offerings, for security and analytics purposes and for other lawful purposes.7. How We Use the Information We Collect
Personal information will be used by us for the purpose of contacting you regarding information that you have requested, in conjunction with aggregated information and cookies, and/or for improving our education and other services, our marketing, and our Sites. We may store your information for the purpose of communicating with you about the educational programs and services offered by our university and send you updates if and when they become available. We also use the information we collect for purposes of administering our educational programs and conducting other university business, to provide services to our students, partners and employees, and to make other products and services available to individuals within the Saras AI community. Occasionally, we may also use the information we collect to notify you about important changes to our Sites or services, new services, educational programs and related offers we think you will find valuable.
Some more specific examples of how we may use your information include:
Providing services to our students such as evaluating applications for admission, financial aid or student-employment, completing course registrations, enrolling you in academic groups or other programs, collecting tuition payments, facilitating your requests for IT support, to carry out your requests to affiliate with our community or workplace partners and to deliver our online training and educational programs.Providing services to our alumni such as mailing alumni news, information, invitations and surveys, sending donation and engagement solicitations, reviewing web traffic and click-throughs on email to provide engagement statistics.Providing you with service or safety alerts or announcements.Marketing uses such as targeted advertising via social media and other digital channels, audience classification and creation, sharing social content, tracking leads for analytics and communications purposes, conducting market research, surveys, and similar inquiries to help us understand trends and needs of our users, and offering newsletters, articles, event invitations and other information that we believe may interest you.Preventing, investigating, or providing notice of fraud, unlawful or criminal activity, or unauthorized access to or use of personal information, our website or data systems, investigating or resolving inquiries initiated by current or prospective students, to meet our legal obligations, to serve the public interest or public health, and for other lawful purposes. This includes but is not limited to identifying you or your wireless device to prevent fraud.8. Legitimate Interests for Processing Personal Information
Most of Saras AI’s collection and processing of personal information will fall under one or more of the following categories, depending on your relationship (past and present) with Saras AI:
Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by Saras AI, such as providing, improving and customizing our educational offerings, administering our operations, maintaining relationships with and fostering connections among Saras AI community members, exploring ways to develop and grow our operations, enhancing protection against fraud and security risks, offering attendance at events and other engagement opportunities, understanding how our online platforms are used, etc.Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or in order to carry out your requests of us.Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which Saras AI is subject.You have given your consent to the processing of your personal information for one or more specific purposes.There are some instances where the collection and processing of personal information will be pursuant to other lawful bases.
9. Sharing Information with Third Parties
Saras AI does not sell personal information to outside parties for their commercial use. However, we may share information with third-parties, including our service providers, partners and affiliates, as follows:
Service Providers
We sometimes use third-party service providers to perform services on our behalf. We may share your personal information with such third-party service providers to allow them to perform the duties for which they have been retained, subject to confidentiality and use obligations consistent with this Privacy Policy.
Affiliates
We may share your personal information with affiliated legal entities and among Saras AI units and departments for purposes and uses that are consistent with this Privacy Policy.
Partners
We may share your personal information with our workplace, community and educational partners for the purposes of administering programs and services.
Wireless Carriers – Identification and Fraud Prevention
You authorize your wireless carrier to use or disclose information about your account and your wireless device, if available, to Saras AI or its service provider for the duration of your business relationship, solely to help us/them identify you or your wireless device and to prevent fraud. See this Privacy Policy for how to see how we treat your data.
10. How We Protect Your Personal Information
To protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure, Saras AI maintains an information security program and employs reasonable and appropriate physical, administrative and technical safeguards. Saras AI performs periodic risk assessments of its information security program and prioritizes remediation of identified security vulnerabilities. However, we cannot guarantee that unauthorized access, use or loss will never occur.
11. Legally Compelled Disclosure
We may release personal information about you that we possess (e.g. to legal or government regulatory authorities or third parties) when we believe release is appropriate to comply with, the law; to enforce or apply our Privacy Policy and/or other agreements; or to protect the rights, property or safety of us, users of our Sites or others.
12. Data Retention & Privacy Requests
As an educational institution, Saras AI has certain legal obligations to maintain some data. At Saras AI, we also believe in maintaining a lifelong relationship with our Saras AI community members. As such, unless we are otherwise required by applicable law, or your request that we do so, we typically will maintain a record for you.
13. Opt-out and Preferences
Saras AI offers several ways for Saras AI applicants, students, alumni, and employees to manage their communication preferences for emails and texts.
If you no longer wish to receive marketing related email and SMS communications from Saras AI write to privacy@sarasai.orgIf you no longer wish to receive marketing related email and SMS communications from Saras AI please select the “unsubscribe” hyperlink at the bottom of the email communication. If you have any questions about this process, please write to privacy@sarasai.org