We at West Visayas State University understand that privacy is important to you.  WVSU wants you to know that we respect your privacy and that we are committed to safeguarding your personal information.  This is why we want to provide you with a clear picture of how the Personal Information that you provide to us in connection with your studies at WVSU is processed, managed, and protected by us.

This Privacy Notice contains important information regarding our privacy practices and the choices we offer our current and prospective students with respect to their Personal Information.  If you choose to provide us with your Personal Information, you are telling us that you understand and accept the privacy practices detailed in this Privacy Notice and authorize us to take actions consistent with this Privacy Notice.

Scope of the Notice

This Privacy Notice applies to our collection, use, and retention (“processing”) of Personal Information which identifies, or can be used by us or on our behalf to identify an individual.

How We Collect Your Information

 At WVSU, we may collect Personal Information from or about you in a number of ways, for example:

• From the information you voluntarily provide to us when you first express an interest in studying at WVSU;
• When you voluntarily apply to study at WVSU and complete other admissions-related processes and procedures, as well as when you enroll in courses;
• When you voluntarily communicate with us by telephone, email, or via our website in order to make enquiries or raise concerns;
• As you interact with us during your time as a student at WVSU;
• From third party entities who you have requested or authorized to provide information, such as your previous or current school, university, or employers, who may provide reference information about you or who may sponsor your studies, as well as other third-party individuals or entities that may provide information about you;
• Information collected through disciplinary and grievance procedures; and
• Information collected through surveys and feedback mechanisms.

The Types of Information WVSU Collects

We may collect the following types of Personal Information about you:

• Your name and biographical information;
• Information about your racial or national origin, religious or similar beliefs, or sexual orientation.
• Information relating to your education and employment history, the school(s), and other colleges or universities you have attended, the places where you have worked, the courses you have completed, dates of study, and examination results, including information relating to assessments of your work, details of examinations taken, your predicted and actual examination grades, information regarding academic and extracurricular interests, and other student record-related information;
• Records related to your use of our facilities and services;
• Photographs from events and CCTV footage;
• Information about your involvement, activities, and awards;
• Financial information including tuition, fees, donations, scholarships, etc.;
• Information about your family or personal circumstances;
• Sensitive Personal Data, including:
• Information about criminal convictions and offences; and
• Information about your health and medical conditions (e.g. disability and dietary needs.

How WVSU Uses Current and Prospective Student Information

• We may use Personal Information (including Sensitive Personal Data) we collect from and about you during your association with us for the following purposes:
• Recruit and/or admit you as a student at WVSU;
• Facilitate academic matters, including for:
  • The provision of our core teaching, learning, and research services (e.g. registration, assessment, attendance, managing progress, academic misconduct investigations, certification, and graduation);
  • Maintaining student records; and
  • Assessing your eligibility for scholarships;
• Provide library, IT, media, and other information services;
• Provide support of our core services in non-academic matters, including:
  • Providing support of our core student services in non-academic matters;
  • Monitoring of equal opportunities;
  • Safeguarding and promotion of students’ welfare;
  • Ensuring students’ safety and security;
  • Managing student employment, assistantships, and internships;
  • Managing student accommodations;
  • Managing the use of social media;
  • Managing facilities on campus;
  • Administer finances such as fees, scholarships, grants, or financial aid;
• Provide other administrative functions, such as:
  • Carrying out research and statistical analysis;
  • Carrying out audits to ensure compliance with our regulatory and legal obligations;
  • Providing operational information;
  • Promoting our services;
  • Preventing and detecting crime;
  • Dealing with grievances and disciplinary actions;
  • Dealing with complaints and inquiries;
  • Provide for archiving and statistical purposes;
• Hold the annual commencement ceremony such as:
  • Passing such information to third parties to facilitate the ceremony (local newspapers, commemorative clothing providers, photographers, caterers, etc.);
  • Preparing the commencement booklet; and
  • Promoting and archiving the ceremony on our website.

The Bases for Processing Your Personal Information

 We may process your Personal Information because it is necessary for the execution of a contract with you or in order to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract.  In this respect, we may use your Personal Information to:

• Interact with you before you are enrolled as a student, as part of the admissions process such as sending a prospectus or answering inquiries about courses;
• To provide you with services as outlined in our various policies;
• Address any concerns or feedback you may have; and
• Facilitate any other purpose for which you provide us with your Personal Information.

We also may process your Personal Information because it is necessary for our legitimate interests.  In this respect, we may use your Personal Information for any of the following:

• To provide you with educational services which may not be set out in our Student Code but which are nevertheless a part of our academic and educational mission;
• To monitor and evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the university, including by training our employees or monitoring their performance;
• To maintain and improve the academic, corporate, financial, and human resource management of the University;
• To promote equality and diversity throughout the University;
• To seek advice on our legal rights and obligations and to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with (either intentionally or unintentionally) our rights or property, other students or faculty, visitors to the University, or anyone else who could be harmed by such activities;
• To fundraise and for alumni purposes;
• To perform our duties in carrying out in our mission, vision, and values andour Strategic Plan;
• We also may process your Personal Information for compliance with our legal obligations. In this respect, we may use your Personal Information for the following:
  • To meet our compliance and regulatory obligations;
  • For the prevention and detection of crime; and
  • In order to assist with investigations (including criminal investigations) carried out by the police and other responsible authorities.

We also may process your Personal Information where:

• It is necessary for emergency medical purposes;
• It is necessary to protect your or another person’s vital interests; or
• We have your specific or, where necessary, explicit consent to do so.

Sharing Your Personal Information with Others

For the purposes referred to in this Privacy Notice and relying on the bases for processing as set out above, we may share your Personal Information with certain third parties. Third party recipients may include:

• Our affiliates and contractors where there is a legitimate reason for their receiving the information, including:
  • Third parties who work with us to provide student support services (i.e. counseling, health services, etc.);
  • Third parties who are contracted to provide services such as IT, security, and staffing;
  • Organizations operating software on our behalf; and
  • Internal and external auditors.
• Those with an interest in tracking student progress and attendance, including:
  • Student sponsors (scholarship or other donors);
  • Current or potential education product and service providers;
  • Current or potential employers (to provide references and, where students are sponsored by their employer and/or where you take part in a placement, to provide details of progress/attendance);
  • Professional and regulatory bodies in relation to the confirmation of qualifications, professional registration and conduct, and the accreditation of courses;
  • Governmental departments and agencies where we have a legal obligation to provide information;
  • Crime prevention or detection agencies;
  • Parents, guardians, and next-of-kin (where there is a legitimate reason for disclosure);
  • Third parties conducting surveys;
  • Third party communication providers; and
  • Third party data services providers.

Changes to Your Personal Information

Please tell us promptly about any changes to the Personal Information you have voluntarily provided to us. This is particularly important with respect to your contact details.  If you are a current student, you may do this through the Office of the University Registrar.

How Long We Keep Your Personal Information

We will retain your Personal Information for as long as needed to meet the uses described in thie Notice.  Even where you have exercised one of the rights listed below with respect to your Personal Information, we will have the right to retain your Personal Information for compliance with a legal obligation, for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest, for archiving purposes in the public interest, for scientific or historical research purposes, for statistical purposes, or for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims.

Protection of Your Personal Information

WVSU takes reasonable and appropriate measures to protect Personal Data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction, taking into due account the risks involved in the processing and the nature of the Personal Data.

If you have queries, requests and complaints

Contact us

We care about what you think and we welcome your feedback. You can contact us thru the Office of the President +63 33 3200878. Email: [email protected].

Data privacy requests and concerns

For your data privacy concerns and requests, you can email our Data Protection Officer at [email protected].

You may also contact the National Privacy Commission

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Publication of this Notice

The full text of this privacy notice should be published at the WVSU Website (http://wvsu.edu.ph).

All forms that gather potentially sensitive private information should bear the following text:

“To ensure that your rights as a Data Subject under Republic Act No. 10173 otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012 are secured, WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY has implemented reasonable and appropriate organizational, physical and technical measures intended to protect your personal information and/or sensitive personal information against any unauthorized, accidental and/or unlawful processing.  The full terms and conditions related to data privacy can be found at the webpage www.wvsu.edu.ph/privacy.

Submitting your information signifies that you have read and understood the above notice and expressly consent to the processing of your personal and/or sensitive personal information in the manner and for the purpose provided in this notice. You understand and accept that this will include access to personal data and records submitted, which may be regarded as personal and/or sensitive personal data as provided under the Data Protection Act of 2012.“

Prepared by:

Management Information System Office