Privacy Notice

University of York Graduate Students’ Association Privacy Notice

Our contact details

Name: University of York Graduate Students’ Association (GSA),  a charity and company limited by guarantee

Address: GSA Office, 120 Vanbrugh College, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD

Phone Number: 01904 32 2718

E-mail: info@yorkgsa.org

Web address: https://www.yorkgsa.org/

Data Protection Officer:  Chief Executive Officer (ceo@yorkgsa.org)and Data Controller

This privacy policy sets out how The University of York Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) uses and protects any information that you give The University of York Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) when you use the website and/or contact the GSA.

The University of York Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

We will comply with all applicable data protection laws and regulations (mainly UK-GDPR) and we will co-operate with data protection authorities. In the absence of data protection legislation, we will act in accordance with generally accepted principles governing data protection.

The University of York Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 1 September 2022.

 

The type of personal information we collect

We currently collect and process the following information:

  • Name and student status / job title
  • Contact information including email address
  • Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
  • Other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers
  • Website User statistics
  • User generated content, posts and other content you submit to the GSA
  • Any other personal information that you voluntarily provide to us

Please note that employee information is covered by a separate Employee Privacy Notice

How we get the personal information and why we have it

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

  • Internal record keeping
  • To improve our products and services, for example to deliver outstanding events and experiences.
  • We may periodically send promotional emails about new events, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided.
  • From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail.
  • We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

We also receive personal information indirectly, from the following sources in the following scenarios:

  • The University of York provides the York Graduate Students’ Association with some student data for the effective administration and provision of the membership rights of postgraduate students. This includes informing members about relevant information and activity; enabling members to participate in the GSA’s democratic processes, networks, and events; and providing advice and support when required. This is subject to a data sharing agreement.
  • We use the information that you have given us in order to administer your membership rights as a postgraduate student. This includes informing you about activities and allowing you to participate in them; enabling you to participate in the GSA’s democratic processes, networks, and events; and providing confidential and independent advice and support when you need it.
  • We may share this information with third-party organisations only when they have been subcontracted directly by the GSA to conduct core elements of our service to members. This might include organising events or providing training. Any data transfer will always be subject to a data sharing agreement.

Lawful Basis for Processing Information 

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

(a) Your consent. You are able to remove your consent at any time. You can do this by contacting info@yorkgsa.org

(b) We have a contractual obligation.

(c) We have a legal obligation.

(d) We have a vital interest.

(e) We have a legitimate interest.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to easily enable you to visit other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information that you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

How we store your personal information 

Your information is securely stored in Google drives or Google mailing lists as well as mailchimp and UnionCloud.

We keep data according to our retention schedule

Your data protection right

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to object to processing – You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Please contact us at info@yorkgsa.org if you wish to make a request.

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at info@yorkgsa.org

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

The ICO’s address:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk