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Privacy Statement
Privacy of visitors to Deakin University website
Deakin University respects the privacy of users of the Deakin University Website. The University complies with all legislation applicable to websites, including the Information Privacy Act 2000 (VIC). The Information Privacy Act requires public sector agencies to inform individuals when their personal information is being collected, and to identify how the agency will use that information.
What is personal information?
Personal information means information or opinions about a person which would reveal the identity of that person. It extends to information recorded in any format, including digital or electronic formats derived from computer access to the Deakin University Website.
How does Deakin University obtain personal information about visitors to the Deakin University Website?
When a user enters the Deakin University web site, the University server makes a record of their visit and records the following information:
· the web browser being used to access the site
· the operating system on the user's computer
· referrer page (the web page the computer was accessing immediately prior to the Deakin web site)
· pages/files viewed and the size of those files
· types of files accessed/downloaded
· date/time of visit
· username and password entered if accessing restricted areas of the site
Deakin University uses this information for on-going administration and development of its web site. Deakin University also obtains personal information in the following ways:
Cookies
A cookie is a small, text file that is stored by a browser on a computer's hard drive. It has a limited lifetime – usually until the browser is shut down. This allows web servers to remember the user on subsequent visits without having to prompt them for the same information. This function may be disabled in the web browser if the user does not wish to accept cookies, but this may effect their access to all parts of the Deakin University website.
Cookies are used to store both personal and non-personal information. Examples of personal information are encrypted username and encrypted password that are used by Deakin University Portal and Deakin University Webmail. Examples of non-personal information include the Deakin web server that the user has authenticated into, the top level domain name of the user’s Internet Service Provider, the date and the time of a visit to the site, the pages accessed and downloaded, the address of the last site visited, and the type of browser being used.
Cookies make it possible to identify registered users without needing to ask for registration details every time the user accesses a site. Using cookies makes accessing sites more convenient to the user as they don't need to remember their username and password each time they enter the site.
Deakin University may also use cookies to track users as they travel through the site - for instance, it might use cookies to count the total number of unique users who are accessing the site over a particular period of time, or to ensure that users don't see a particular advert more than once. This information is purely used for our internal purposes. The use of cookies in this way helps to make systems more efficient. Deakin University also uses this information for monitoring its web site use, and to facilitate web site management, development and planning.
On-Line Forms
The University web site may offer users the opportunity to supply personal information to enable it to provide you with further services, including allowing users to access restricted areas of the website, responding to users’ questions by e-mail or the provision of information to users via email. You may also choose to complete on-line surveys or offer feedback to the persons responsible for maintaining the website. Users may in the future be able to complete enrolment and registration forms or access grades on-line.
How does Deakin University use personal information about visitors to its website?
In addition to using personal information to provide services that have been specifically requested, Deakin University uses personal information about users to the website to carry on the business of the University. This includes the following:
Analysis of Usage
The University periodically analyses personal information provided by visitors to our website. This analysis allows the University to identify the needs of users, the effectiveness of its website in meeting those needs, and the types of improvements needed to make the website more effective.
Monitoring Computer Usage
The University uses personal information to ensure that visitors to the Deakin University web site use the web site in compliance with Commonwealth and State laws, and the policies and procedures for Internet usage established by the University. This includes maintaining records to enable recovery of any costs incurred by the University in connection with a visitor’s usage of the Internet through the Deakin University server. Details are available through the Deakin University Information Technology Services Division homepage.
Security
Deakin University takes all reasonable precautions to guard against unauthorized access to, and loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information. For this reason, users may be asked to provide their user name and password which will be used to grant access to areas of the Deakin University Website not available to the general public. It is important that users keep their password secure and do not disclose it to anyone else.
Disclosure of personal information to parties outside Deakin University
The Information Privacy Act 2000 (VIC) allows the University to disclose Personal Information it collects under specific circumstances. In other circumstances not covered by the Information Privacy Act 2000, the University may disclose your personal information to third parties only if it has first received your consent to the disclosure.
What can I do if I have an inquiry or a complaint about the management of, or wish to access, my personal information?
Inquiries about the management of, or access to, your personal information at Deakin University should be directed to the University's Privacy Officer.
If you believe the University has breached your right to privacy, you may make a written complaint providing full details, also to the University's Privacy Officer.
Contact details for the Privacy Officer are:
Email: privacy@deakin.edu.au
Telephone: (03) 9246 8114
Address:
Privacy Officer, University Governance Unit
Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, 3125
WARNING:
As a convenience to users of the Deakin University Website, the University provides links to sites which are not controlled or maintained by Deakin University. Each site has its own privacy policies, and Deakin University assumes no responsibility for the content or the privacy policies of external websites nor for the use external websites may make of your personal information. If you pursue a link to an external web site, you should consult its privacy statements.