Privacy policy

In the interest of facilitating collaboration among member institutions, and in support of its mission more generally, the AMICAL Consortium (“we”, “us”, “our”) gathers information about those who use the website, including staff and faculty at these institutions, and other partners we work with (“user” or “you”).

The policy below explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or communicate with AMICAL.

What information we collect

AMICAL gathers personal information of the following types for our users:

  • Name
  • Descriptive information about their work role (title, area of work, etc.)
  • Email address
  • Website
  • Social media names/handles/identifiers
  • Profile photos
  • Professional interests (e.g. research, teaching, or other work-related interests)
  • Descriptive information about local work/projects/etc. related to AMICAL’s mission
  • Participation or contributions to AMICAL events and activities.
  • Other types of information related to the organization of specific events (e.g. accommodation or meal preferences).
  • Event photos and audio or video recordings

Personal information is provided voluntarily by users through registration forms (for this site or events), by email requests, and though their use of the site (e.g. updating their profile, posting on our forum). We request waivers from event participants before publicly releasing event photos and audio or video recordings.

Our site and related systems automatically collect derivative information, such as your IP address, browser type, your operating system, access times, and the pages you have viewed directly before and after accessing the site.

We collect financial information, such as information related to your payment method (e.g. valid credit/debit card number, card brand, expiration date), that is provided voluntarily when you request reimbursals or other payments from AMICAL.

How we use your information

Having accurate information about you permits AMICAL to provide the best possible services. We use this information in ways that are compatible with the purposes for which it was intended to be used. Specifically, we use the information we gather to:

  • Design events that are well-adapted to participants and their successful participation in the context of AMICAL’s mission.
  • Create or improve tools and resources supporting communication and collaboration among staff and faculty of member institutions in the context of AMICAL’s mission.
  • Fulfill and manage payments, reimbursals and other transactions relating to the functioning of the Consortium.
  • Inform users about our activities and those of our members and partners through newsletters, announcements and other marketing material.
  • Administer our systems and improving their design by tracking and analyzing usage.
  • Improve our services overall by requesting feedback and responding to questions and other requests.

Disclosure of your information

In the spirit of lowering thresholds for communication and collaboration between member colleagues, AMICAL makes certain personal information publicly accessible via its website (member profiles) and other online resources. Unless otherwise arranged, AMICAL will only share individuals’ direct contact information (email addresses, phone numbers, etc.) with other AMICAL members. We will not make such contact information publicly accessible without first receiving permission from the individuals concerned.

If you use AMICAL Connect, our online forum, other users will be able to read your posts. They may also view descriptions of your activity, such as frequency of posting and liking posts.

Third-party service providers

AMICAL may work with other organizations that provide specific services for us, such as payment processing (American University of Paris), user data management and analysis (Google, Airtable), email delivery (MailerLite, MailChimp, MailGun, SendGrid), forms (JotForm), automation (Zapier), hosting services (Dreamhost, Digital Ocean, Reclaim Hosting), calendar tools (AddEvent), web conferencing (Zoom).

We may also transfer personally identifiable information to third parties who can better assist with your inquiries or to facilitate the organization of our events, such as partner organizations or local organizing institutions. We will provide only the information necessary for the third party to provide these services for us, and they may not use the information for other purposes.

In certain situations, AMICAL may be required to disclose information in response to legal process by public authorities, including to meet security or law enforcement requirements.

Use of cookies and other tracking technologies

AMICAL’s websites and services use browser cookies to personalize or enhance your user experience. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or disable them.

To improve its services, AMICAL collects aggregate usage data from its websites and services, using Google Analytics for this purpose. By accessing our site, you consent to the collection and use of your information by this third-party vendor. If you wish to opt-out, you may use Google’s Opt-out Browser Add-on or a third-party tool like Disconnect.

We do not collect data provided by cookies or other tracking technologies except in aggregate form.

Third-party websites

We may link to third-party websites or applications that are not affiliated with us. Any information you provide to third parties is not covered by this Privacy Policy and we are not responsible for their content or privacy and security practices. You should inform yourself of their policies and take any steps necessary to, in your discretion, protect the privacy of your information.

Security of your information

We take reasonable steps to secure the personal information you provide us, including using passwords and the Secure HTTP protocol. Despite our efforts no measures are perfect or impenetrable and no data transmission can be guaranteed against interception or other type of misuse. We cannot guarantee complete security if you provide personal information.

Your consent and options regarding your information

By using the AMICAL website, including creating a verified AMICAL account, you consent to the collection and use, in accordance with this policy, of the information you provide to us.

Any requests or questions about your information may be sent to us by email at contact@amicalnet.org

Correction and erasure of your information

If you are an AMICAL member, you may login (or create an account) on this site and update your information. Otherwise, you may contact us by email.

If you no longer wish to receive correspondence, emails, or other communications from us, you may opt-out by logging into your account and updating your preferences, or contacting us by email using the information you provided.

We will respond to your requests within a reasonable timeframe.

Data retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active or needed to provide services to members. If you wish to cancel your account or request that we no longer use your information, you can request so by email. We will remove you and your personally identifiable information from our records or refrain from using your personally identifiable information in connection with our services. We may retain and use your information if necessary to comply with legal obligations our ability to fulfil other binding agreements.

Changes to this policy

We will occasionally update this policy, alerting you about any changes by updating the “last updated” date below. Any changes or modifications will be effective immediately, and you waive the right to receive specific notice of each change or modification. We will notify active users of any substantive changes. We encourage you to periodically review this privacy statement to stay informed about it. By using our sites and services, you consent to this privacy policy and any updates.

The substance of this document was last updated 23 May 2018; the list of third-party service providers was last updated 9 October 2020.