DISCLAIMER
THE FINE PRINT
The information offered on official Pierpont web pages comes from a variety of sources, not all of which officially represent or speak for the institution or its governing bodies. The content of official web pages is maintained by various departments, organizations and individuals associated with Pierpont, and is provided as a service to our visitors. Pierpont should not be held liable for any inaccuracies appearing on these web pages. Visitors are encouraged to contact those responsible for page content (usually indicated on pages under: Contact Info) if there are questions about accuracy.
Pierpont web pages contain information about programs and services. The institution reserves the right to make changes in such programs and services without notice. New and updated information is posted periodically, and every effort is made to see that the material presented is accurate and up-to-date. Information offered is aimed at the improvement of communication and does not always legally represent and/or replace materials which exist in their original form elsewhere.
Pierpont should not be held responsible for any interruption in public access to their web site resulting from circumstances beyond their control.
Faculty, staff and student personal web pages are not part of the official web site, and we are not responsible for the content of personal pages and do not endorse the views expressed on personal pages.
Photographs and institutional logo images appearing on official institutional web page are the property of Pierpont. Use of these photographs and logo images without written permission from the Pierpont Public Relations Office is prohibited. Pierpont Community & Technical College is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Institution.
Privacy and Accessibility Policy
Introduction
Thank you for visiting the website of Pierpont Community & Technical College (Pierpont). Pierpont is committed to preserving your privacy throughout your visit to the website. This privacy statement addresses the collection, security, and disclosure of information that may be obtained through Pierpont’s website ( https://www.pierpont.edu )
By continuing to utilize Pierpont’s website or by voluntarily submitting personal information to us, you are agreeing to the terms of this privacy policy and acknowledge that your information will be handled in accordance with this policy.
Collection of Information
Visitors are important to us, therefore, we do not capture personal information about them without their permission or knowledge.
We may automatically collect the following information about your visit:
- The date and time of your visit;
- The type and version of the browser and operating system used for the visit;
- The name of your domain; (for example “yourdomain.net”) or the unique internet protocol (IP) address used to access out site;
- The HTTP request URL which identifies the web page or file requested by the visitor;
- The links that visitors click to go to other websites;
- The pages you visit within Pierpont’s website during your visit; and
- The number of times pages or publications are viewed in a visit.
Pierpont may also use “cookies” and other internet technologies to manage the website. Cookies are small text files that a web server may ask your browser to store and then send back to the web server when needed (see more below).
Personally Identifiable Information
During your visit, you may voluntarily provide personally identifiable information in email communications, forms, or other visitor submitted documents located on the website. Personally identifiable information is information about a person that can be used to identify that specific individual.
Examples of personally identifiable information that may be collected through these voluntary processes includes the following:
- Name and date of birth date;
- Address, phone number, email address;
- Cell phone number for text messaging opt-in services;
- Information you voluntarily submit through various forms. For example, the student complaint process or request for representation forms; and
- Other volunteered information, such as vendor profile/contact information, survey information or the attachments and content of e-mails.
Use of Information Collected
The purpose in collecting non-personally identifiable information is to better understand how visitors are using Pierpont’s website and to help us improve the content and performance of the webpage.
Pierpont uses the personally identifiable information for purposes that relate to the reason you provided the information or as required by law. We may also use the information for other reasonably anticipated purposes, based on the circumstances. If information is used for another purpose, we will obtain your permission.
Cookies & Pixels
Pierpont’s website use cookies and pixels. When you use the website, cookies are placed in the browser files of your computer or mobile device. A cookie is a piece of data stored on your computer hard drive containing information about you. Pixels are small pieces of code on webpages often are used in connection with cookies that allow us to track the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns.
We use cookies for performance monitoring, analytics and marketing purposes. Below are the types of cookies that may be used on the Websites:
PERFORMANCE COOKIES
Cookies placed by tools we use to monitor the Websites’ performance and visitor behavior on the Websites.
ADVERTISING COOKIES
We sometimes use tracking pixels that assist us with delivering targeted online advertising. By better understanding what our audiences are interested in, we can more efficiently promote the College.
GOOGLE ADWORDS AND GOOGLE DISPLAY NETWORK
We use Google Adwords tracking cookies to serve relevant advertising and measure advertising performance (on third-party sites) based on visits to the Websites.
GOOGLE ANALYTICS
We use Google Analytics to provide us with insight into how users are accessing the Websites’ pages, and users’ activity around the Websites. User data does not include Personal Information, but does include things like city location, browser and platforms used, and aggregated demographic information from users’ Google profiles such as gender, age-bracket and interests.
How we use information
The College uses information available in the Websites’ server logs and cookies to:
– measure performance of the College’s Websites and online advertising
– provide interest-based advertising messages
– inform development of new content and functionality on the website
Protection of Personally Identifiable Information
As a general rule, Pierpont will only disclose personally identifiable information under certain circumstances and to certain individuals or entities as listed below:
- To those who need to know that information in order to process it on our behalf or to provide services available on our website and have agreed not to disclose it to others;
- In cases where the information is considered public information under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act, West Virginia Code §29B‐1‐1 et seq.; and
- To law enforcement, the federal government, or in response to a court order or subpoena if no other law protects your information.
Online visitors must understand the information collected by the website may be subject to inspection, if such information is a public record or not otherwise protected from disclosure.
SMS (Text Messaging) Privacy Policy
At Pierpont Community & Technical College, we value your privacy and are committed to ensuring the confidentiality and security of your SMS (Text Messaging) communications. This SMS Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your SMS data in compliance with industry standards and regulations.
Collection and Use of SMS Data
When you communicate with us via SMS, we may collect limited information, such as:
- Your phone number
- The content of your messages
We collect this data to facilitate communication, provide support, deliver updates, or share relevant information about our services. We will not use your SMS data for any other purposes without your explicit written consent. Additionally, we do not sell, rent, or share your SMS data with third parties unless required by law.
Opt-In Process
To ensure you have control over your communication preferences, we operate on an opt-in basis for SMS notifications:
- You will receive an initial opt-in message from our number.
- Follow the instructions provided to confirm your subscription by replying with “YES.”
- Once confirmed, you will receive a follow-up message acknowledging your successful enrollment in our SMS communication system.
Opt-Out Process
You have the right to stop receiving SMS notifications at any time:
- Reply with “STOP” to any of our messages to opt out.
- Upon opting out, you will receive a confirmation message indicating you have been removed from our SMS notifications.
If you change your mind, you can always opt back in by following the opt-in process.
Data and Message Rates
Standard message and data rates may apply to SMS messages sent and received. You are solely responsible for any fees or charges incurred from your mobile carrier related to SMS communication with “Customer Name”. Please verify with your MNO – Mobile Network Operator like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc for data and messaging standard rates.
Frequency of Messages
We strive to keep SMS communications to a reasonable frequency and relevance. You may expect to receive SMS messages from us only when necessary for appointment reminders, scheduling adjustments, or important updates related to our services. We do not engage in unsolicited marketing messages via SMS without your explicit consent.
Protection of SMS Data
We take the security of your SMS data seriously. Our systems implement industry-standard measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include encryption, secure access protocols, and regular system audits to ensure compliance with privacy standards.
Disclosure of SMS Data
Your SMS data is never disclosed to third parties except under the following circumstances:
- To comply with legal obligations, such as court orders or subpoenas.
- To protect our rights, property, or the safety of our employees, customers, or others.
We remain transparent in such cases and will notify you where legally permissible.
Your Rights
As a valued customer, you have the following rights regarding your SMS data:
- Access: Request a copy of the SMS data we hold about you.
- Correction: Update or correct any inaccuracies in your SMS data.
- Deletion: Request the deletion of your SMS data, except where retention is required by law.
To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@pierpont.edu.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this SMS Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any modifications will be effective immediately upon posting the revised policy on our website. We encourage you to review this page periodically for updates.
Aggregated Statistics
We may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to the website. We may display this information publicly or provide it to others. However, we do not disclose personally identifiable information other than as described above.
Information Disclaimer
This website provides general information about Pierpont Community & Technical College, its programs and services. Pierpont strives for the highest standards in content accuracy on this site. We designed this website to make it easier and more efficient for all users to interact with Pierpont and we welcome your comments and suggestions and will seek to correct any errors.
Link Disclaimer
Pierpont’s website has provided links to a number of related websites in an effort to provide ample resources to visitors. Pierpont Community & Technical College cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or content of those pages or guarantee full access to those pages, nor should Pierpont Community & Technical College be considered as endorsing any of the outside sites linked from the main site.
These sites may have their own privacy statements posted which would take precedence over this policy. Visitors should read the privacy policies of individual sites and always be cautious about providing personally identifiable information without a clear understanding of how that information will be used.
Accessibility Statement
Every effort has been made to ensure the pages on this website are accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. The website allows for increasing text size and allows voice readers to interpret content. If you or someone you know is not able to access any content on this website due to a disability, please let us know by emailing mturner1@pierpont.edu
Privacy Policy Changes
Although most changes are likely to be minor, we may change our privacy policy from time to time, and in our sole discretion. We encourage visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to our privacy policy. Your continued use of this site after any change in this privacy policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.
Contact
If you have questions about the Privacy Policy of Pierpont Community & Technical College, please contact the Pierpont Community & Technical College at 304-367-4907.
For more information on privacy in West Virginia, please visit the West Virginia State Privacy Office.
Adopted: July 1, 2023