Texas Community Engagement Alliance Consortium (Texas CEAL) Information and Privacy Policy
I. Information Collection and Use
Texas CEAL and the National Institute of Health (NIH) is the sole owner of the information collected on the Texas CEAL website. The data collected will be used for program evaluation as per NIH policy.
II. Data Collection
(a) iHeard Texas through NIH CEAL
The iHeard Program, including iHeard Texas, was created by the National Institutes of Health Community Engagement Alliance (NIH CEAL). NIH CEAL is the umbrella program which created the Texas CEAL Consortium. All User information will be retained through Texas CEAL and NIH only.
(b) Data Collection
Users of the Texas CEAL website are not required to create a User profile. No identifiable information is retained by Texas CEAL within its website. All User information is collected by Texas CEAL only and will not be shared with iHeard Texas.
Users can voluntarily interact with iHeard Texas in two ways: through opt-in email communications and voluntary surveys.
(b)(i) Email
If Users voluntarily subscribe to the iHeard Texas email distribution list, Users are opting in to receive email communications. Users are asked to provide full name and email address. This User information is gathered through the mailing-list subscription service (e.g., Constant Contact, MailChimp) used by Texas CEAL. No identifiable information is shared elsewhere.
(b)(ii) Survey
If Users opt in to participate in surveys through iHeard Texas, Users are redirected to a survey via a third party, Qualtrics, and agree to provide the third-party website with the User’s full name and email address. In interacting with the third-party’s website (i.e. Qualtrics), its website privacy policy then applies.
(b)(iii) Enrolled in a Study
To be enrolled in the iHeard study, the User must give express, formal consent for the duration of the study. The User may opt out at any time.
(d) Opting Out
At any time, if a User no longer wishes to participate in the iHeard Program (including the study), the User may contact Texas CEAL and/or iHeard staff via email at texasceal@unthsc.edu. The User may opt out of email communications by clicking “Unsubscribe” at the bottom of any iHeard email communication.
II. Cookies
A cookie is a piece of data that contains information about a User and that is stored by a browser (for example, Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome) in memory on the device (for example, computer, tablet or smartphone) on which the browser executes. Texas CEAL uses cookies to maintain user session data, including but not limited to login time and session duration. Usage of a cookie, however, is not linked to any personally identifiable information while the User is on the Texas CEAL website. Once the User terminates the browser, the cookie is deleted, unless the User has chosen to have the User’s username and password remembered for one-click login, in which case a cookie resides on the User’s device. If a User rejects the cookie, the User will not be able to use the Texas CEAL website.
III. Log Files
Texas CEAL uses IP addresses to analyze trends, administer the website, track user movement, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.
IV. Sharing of Information
(a) Sharing of Information with the National Institute of Health (NIH), Texas CEAL Funder
Texas CEAL will share identifiable data with the National Institute of Health.
(b) Sharing of Information with Various Other Parties
Support or other involvement of industry or any other third party in the study (e.g., participation by the third party; involvement of project resources or citing the name of the study or NIH support; or special access to project results, data, findings or resources) may be advantageous and appropriate. However, except for licensing of patents or copyrights, support or involvement of any third party will occur only following notification of and concurrence by NIH.
The sponsors may be interested in interviewing Users about their experiences with the Texas CEAL Program. If a User gives permission in the User’s User Profile to be interviewed by the sponsors or their representatives, Texas CEAL may provide them with the User’s name and email address.
V. Links to Third-party Web Sites and Dealings with Advertisers and Sponsors
The Texas CEAL website may contain links to websites of third parties, including without limitation, advertisers and sponsors, which are not under the control of Texas CEAL. Texas CEAL is not responsible for the content of any linked website, or any link contained in a linked website, or any changes or updates to such websites. Texas CEAL provides these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply that Texas CEAL endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content on such third-party website. A User’s correspondence or dealings with, or participation in promotions of, advertisers or sponsors found on or through the Texas CEAL website (including payment and delivery of related goods or services, any personal information or opt-in contact information voluntarily given to advertisers and sponsors, and any other terms, conditions, warranties or representations associated with such dealings) are solely between the User and such advertiser or sponsor. Texas CEAL will not be responsible or liable for any loss or damage of any sort incurred as the result of any such dealings, including the sharing of the information the User supplies to Texas CEAL with advertisers or sponsors, or as the result of the presence of such advertisers on the Texas CEAL website. Texas CEAL is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. Users should be aware of when they leave the Texas CEAL website and should read the privacy policy of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information. This document Texas CEAL Information and Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by Texas CEAL under the TexasCEAL.org domain name.
VI. Evaluation
Texas CEAL is founded by the National Institutes of Health and, as part of the funding, information will be collected to evaluate the impact Texas CEAL has. This is an evaluation of Texas CEAL as a whole. The information will be used to improve Texas CEAL and begin to gauge its effectiveness. All information collected is confidential and no individually identifiable information will ever be released.
VII. Security
Texas CEAL undertakes commercially reasonable precautions to protect User’s Information from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration or destruction. Despite these precautions, resolute hackers may wrongfully gain access to your Personal Information. Although such unauthorized access is unlikely, Texas CEAL informs Users here of this risk and advise Users that Texas CEAL is not liable for any damages caused by such unauthorized access.
VIII. Site and Program Updates
Texas CEAL sends Program announcement updates to Users. Users cannot unsubscribe from Program announcements, which contain important information about the Program. Texas CEAL may communicate with Users via email or phone to provide requested information about the Program and to address issues related to Users’ accounts.
IX. Notification of Changes and Acceptance of Information and Privacy Policy
If Texas CEAL decides to change the Texas CEAL Information and Privacy Policy, Texas CEAL will post the changes on the Texas CEAL website so that Users are aware of what information Texas CEAL collects, how Texas CEAL uses it, and under which circumstances, if any, Texas CEAL discloses it. Texas CEAL reserves the right to modify the Texas CEAL Information and Privacy Policy at any time, so Texas CEAL encourages Users to review our website frequently for such notices. A User’s continued use of any portion of our website following posting of the updated privacy statement will constitute the User’s acceptance of the changes.
X. Approval and Revision Date
Approved by the University of North Texas Legal Department: 3/29/2024
Effective: 4/1/2024
Revised: N/A