Privacy Policy

The New England College of Optometry (NECO) is committed to preserving and maintaining the privacy of visitors to its websites. This Privacy Policy discloses the privacy practices for neco.edu and necoeyecare.org and sites within the neco.edu and necoeyecare.org domains signified by the address “neco.edu” and “necoeyecare.org”. This Privacy Statement discloses the privacy practices for neco.edu and necoeyecare.org and other NECO sites (each a “Site” and collectively, the “Sites”).

Please read the Privacy Statement carefully before accessing any Site or participating in the website, chat app, mailing list, transaction or forum available at or through any of the Sites, any of which may also have additional terms and conditions.

By accessing, using and/or participating in any of the Sites, you signify that you have read, understood, and consent to NECO’s practices in collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information as disclosed in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to be bound by these terms, please promptly exit all Sites.

1. Collection and Use of Personal Information

We collect information to provide services and information to all of our users and to improve the user experience and website content. We limit the collection of information to only that which is absolutely necessary to carry out our legal or business obligations.

• NECO and its service providers may collect the following information from and about you:
• First Name and Last Name
• Email Address
• Mailing address
• Phone Number
• Program of Interest
• Your status as an alumni, including graduation and/or residency year
• Your newsletter or content preference

Information will be used to operate, maintain, and provide you with the features and functionality of the Sites. NECO may also use Basic Information for direct communication with you. NECO may send you email, promotions and special offers by email or mail. In case you do not want to receive such communications, you can unsubscribe from mailing list or change your preferences related to mailing. NECO may also use your Basic Information to send you site-related emails (e.g., account verifications, changes/updates in the Sites, and technical and security notices).

NECO does not collect any personal information other than the basic information. In the event (a) you are asked to provide additional personal information beyond the basic information, including, but not limited to, credit card information; (b) you are provided with an option to create a user profile or account; (c) you are provided with a means to donate or otherwise deliver money to any party, including NECO; or (d) you have landed on any website via clicking on a hyperlink or advertisement on the site, then you are no longer on a site under the control of NECO, you are interfacing with a third party, and it is your responsibility to review the privacy policies, terms of use and other conditions governing your use of such websites and the collection and use of your personal information prior to interfacing or transacting with such parties.

2. Use of Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Certain types of usage information are automatically collected when you visit a Site.

Device identifiers. When you access the Site with a computer, mobile device or other device, NECO may access, collect, monitor and/or remotely store one or more device identifiers. Device identifiers are small data files associated with your electronic device, which uniquely identify such device and may be stored on it. A device identifier may contain data related to the device hardware, data related to the operating system or other software installed on the device, or data sent to the device by NECO. A device identifier may send browsing information and information about your usage of the Sites to NECO.

Analytics information. NECO may directly collect analytical data, or use third-party analytics tools to be provided with data regarding traffic and usage trends. Such tools gather information sent by your browser following a web page request. The information includes the web pages you visit, your browser add-ons, your browser window’s width and height, and other data that assists us in improving the Sites.

Analytics. One or more of the Sites may also use Google Analytics to track website statistics. Google Analytics collects information anonymously and reports website trends without identifying individual visitors. NECO may use the information collected to understand how Site visitors are using the website and make improvements for a better online experience. Google Analytics uses first-party cookies to track visitor interactions and collects the Internet protocol (IP) address of website visitors in order to provide us a sense of where the Sites’ visitors come from, but Google Analytics does not report visitors’ actual IP address information to us. NECO does not use Google Analytics to track or collect personal information (name, email address, billing information or other data that can be reasonably linked to such information). To see the full Google Analytics privacy policy, you should visit their privacy overview page currently available at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Cookies. When you use or access a Site, NECO or third party partners may send one or more cookies to your computer. Cookies are small text files containing a string of characters that identify your browser and facilitate the login process and make your browsing experience in the Sites easier. A cookie may also send NECO information about your actions when using the Sites (e.g., the pages you visit, the buttons or links you click and other actions). This allows NECO or its business partners to track how you use the Sites over time. NECO’s cookies do not collect personally identifiable information. You can set your web browser to refuse all cookies or to show an alert when a cookie is being sent. Please be informed that some features of the Sites may not function properly if cookies are refused.

Log file information. Log file information is automatically sent by your browser when you visit a web page. When you access a Site, NECO’s servers record certain log file information. Such server logs include anonymous information, including, but not limited to, your web request, Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, type of your browser, referring pages and URLs, how many clicks you’ve made and information about your interaction with links on the Sites, domain names, landing pages, and pages visited.

Location data. When you access the Sites with a computer, mobile or other device, NECO may access, collect, monitor and/or remotely store location data. Location data may give NECO browsing information and information relating to your usage of the Sites.

Third Party Advertisements. NECO may allow third-party online advertising networks to collect information about your use of our Sites so that they may display advertisements relevant to your interests on our Site or on other websites or services. Such third-party ad networks may use cookies and other tracking technologies to gather information about your Site visits and other sites on the Internet in order (a) to display ads on the Site; (b) to measure the ads’ effectiveness; and (c) to personalize the ads’ content according to your interests. Please be aware that NECO’s Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party partners, and it is your responsibility to read the privacy policies and terms and conditions of use on such third parties’ sites prior to interacting and transacting with any such third parties.

3. Shared Information

NECO will not sell your Basic Information under any circumstances. NECO will not share your Basic Information other than as outlined below:

Change of Control. NECO may sell, liquidate, transfer all or any portion of its ownership, or any of its products, services, assets and/or businesses in any combination to one or more third parties within the framework of a corporate divestiture, merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, reorganization, liquidation or any similar transactions and procedures. In any such event, all information, including Personal Information, may be transferred to the acquiring entity or entities.

Third Parties. NECO may send your Basic Information to third-party business partners, consultants and service providers that operate on NECO’s behalf for the purpose of providing the Sites to you (e.g., advertising networks, content or service fulfillment providers, email providers, analytics companies, etc.). NECO may also provide your Basic Information to its business partners offering services jointly with NECO (e.g. during a co-sponsored contest or promotion).

Circumstances in which NECO is required to share your information. Your information will be disclosed by NECO if such a disclosure is required by law or a summons or if NECO makes a decision that such disclosure is necessary to: comply with the law, a judicial proceeding, court order, or other legal process; enforce our Privacy Policy or to protect the security or integrity of our Sites; and/or to guarantee or protect the rights, property, and/or personal safety of NECO, the users of the Sites or any other individuals or companies.

4. Your Choices Regarding Your Information

As noted above, NECO allows third party advertising networks or similar third party partners to collect information about your browsing activities across websites when you access or use NECO’s Sites. Such information is usually collected through cookies or similar technologies, which gather information about the device you are using, and are used to display ads to our Site visitors on other websites. You may opt out of the sharing and processing of this information by contacting us at [email protected]. You will not be discriminated against for exercising this right.

If you would like to disable cookies, please follow the instructions provided by your browser (usually located within the “Help” or “Edit” settings). Please note that if you set your browser to disable cookies, you may not be able to access certain areas of the Sites and other parts of the Site may not work properly.

5. Storing and Protecting Your Information

Protecting your information. The security of your information is very important to NECO. While NECO has implemented reasonable security measures to protect against unauthorized access to and unlawful interception or processing of the information gathered by the Sites as well as to preserve the integrity thereof, NECO cannot make any express representations or warranties about the security of any information transmitted by you to NECO or collected through the Sites. NECO is not responsible for any third party’s operation or security measures.

Storage and Processing. All of your information collected through the Sites may be stored and processed in the United States or worldwide, wherever NECO or its subsidiaries, affiliates or service providers operate.

Compromise of Information. In the event any information under NECO’s control is compromised as a result of a breach of confidence, NECO will take all reasonable measures to investigate the situation and if appropriate, notify those Site users or other individuals whose information may have been compromised and take other measures according to the applicable laws, regulations and codes.

6. Links to Other Websites and Services

The Sites may contain links to other websites. NECO is not responsible for any activities and practices employed by websites or services linked to or from the Sites, including the information or content provided by such websites. Please be aware that if you use an external link from a Site to another website, this Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites or services. Your browsing or other activities on any third-party website or service, including those having a link to any Site, are subject to the third party’s own rules and policies which may differ from this Privacy Policy. In addition, by accessing a Site, you agree that NECO is not responsible for, and NECO does not exercise control over, any third-parties to which you give or permit access to your user content and personal information, and that you do so at your own responsibility and risk. This Privacy Policy does not apply to information collected by other means or resources other than through the Sites.

7. Protecting the Privacy of Children Under 13

NECO’s Sites neither target persons who are less than 13 years of age nor knowingly collect personal information from them through the Sites. Basic Information will not be collected from individuals under 16 without parental consent.

8. Email Terms

If you send NECO email messages, you should be aware that information disclosed in email may not be secure or encrypted and thus may be available to others. NECO suggests that you exercise caution when deciding to disclose any personal or confidential information in email.

NECO will not share, sell, rent, swap or authorize any third party to use your email address for commercial purposes without your permission.

Website Terms of Use

1. Content

Consistent with NECO policies and regulations, NECO upholds the principles of academic freedom and shared governance, freedom of speech, and privacy in the use of electronic resources by our faculty, students and staff.

The NECO Sites contain official pages in support of the core mission of NECO or related administrative business. They also may contain web pages or links to websites generated by groups or individuals whose expressed views do not necessarily represent the views of NECO or the Board of Trustees.

You agree that NECO has the right and discretion to monitor any activity and content associated with its Sites, Site Content, and Site services. NECO may investigate any reported violation or complaints relating to the Sites, Site Content, and Site services, and take any action that NECO believes is appropriate including, but not limited to, removing materials from the Sites and terminating/suspending your access to the Sites.

2. Intellectual Property

The Sites and the Site Content are the sole and exclusive property of NECO (with the exception of materials where rights are specifically attributed to a third party), all rights reserved, and protected under U.S. and International copyright laws. For the purposes of these terms of use, “Site Content” means photographs, text, ideas, concepts, treatments, formats, artwork, drawings, videos, audiovisual works, sound recordings, software code, and/or similar materials that are submitted, posted, uploaded, embedded, displayed, distributed, communicated or otherwise added to any Site, excluding such materials where rights are specifically attributed to a third party. Except as NECO may specifically agree to in writing, no Site Content may be used, copied, reproduced (including, without limitation, the copying, transmitting, or saving of digital files), displayed, distributed, modified, or used to create a derivative work. Any unauthorized use of Site Content is a federal offense and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

All trademarks, slogans, service marks, trade names, and trade dress appearing on the Sites are proprietary to NECO and/or our partners, affiliates, licensors or licensees. NECO may change the Sites or delete Site Content or features at any time, in any way, for any reason.

If you have any questions about copyrights or want to request permission to use any Site Content, please contact NECO at [email protected].

3. Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability

(a) Subject to applicable law, the site content or content otherwise related in any way to the sites or any third party sites or services linked to or from the sites is provided “as is” and without conditions or warranties of any kind. To the fullest extent permissible pursuant to applicable law, NECO disclaims all conditions and warranties, express or implied, including, subject to applicable law, those of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness, availability, security, compatibility and noninfringement. NECO does not warrant that any site content will be error-free, that access thereto will be uninterrupted, that defects will be corrected, or that the sites or the servers that make any site content available are free of viruses or other harmful components.

Moreover, subject to applicable law, you assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction of harm sustained by you or your property directly or indirectly resulting from your use of the site. We do not warrant or make any representations regarding the use or the results of the use of any site content. Applicable law may not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you. You hereby irrevocably waive any claim against NECO with respect to site content and any content you provide to NECO or third party sites (including credit card and other personal information), to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Please note, however, that this does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer, in particular the legal warranty for latent defects for users who access the site in certain jurisdictions. Reliance on any information appearing on the sites is strictly at your own risk.

(b) Subject to applicable law, under no circumstances, including negligence, shall NECO, our group undertakings, our and our group undertakings’ partners, licensors or licensees, be liable to you or any other person or entity for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages including lost profits, personal injury (including death) and property damage of any nature whatsoever, that result from (a) the use of, or the inability to use, any of the sites or any site content, or (b) the conduct or actions, whether online or offline, of any user of the site or any other person or entity.

Subject to applicable law, in no event shall NECO’s total liability to you for all damages, losses and causes of action whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise exceed $100 for accessing or participating in any activity related to the site. Moreover, subject to applicable law, under no circumstances shall neco, our licensors or licensees, service providers or suppliers, be held liable for any delay or failure in performance resulting directly or indirectly from an act of force majeure or causes beyond our or their reasonable control. With respect to users who access the site in certain jurisdictions, this section does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer under applicable law.

Subject to applicable law, NECO may terminate your further access to this site or change the site or delete site content or features in any way, at any time and for any reason or no reason without liability. The limitations, exclusions and disclaimers in this section 11 and elsewhere in these terms of use apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

4. Indemnification

By visiting any of the Sites, you are agreeing to indemnify and hold NECO harmless from any claims, losses or damages, including legal fees, relating to or resulting from your violation of this Privacy Policy; your access or use of a Site or Site Content; your access or use of a third party website accessed via a Site; or your interfacing with other third parties via email or other means of communication referenced on a Site; and you are further agreeing to fully cooperate in NECO’s defense against any such claims.

Questions about this Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Site visitors may contact the Marketing & Communications Office at [email protected] with any questions about this Privacy Policy or to change, update, or request deletion of personal information. You may request a copy of this information to be backed up or used by another service. If known, you may also directly contact the specific department which collected data from you, including: [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].

You may also contact the Marketing & Communications at New England College of Optometry, 424 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02115.

Changes to This Privacy Statement and Terms of Use Statement

NECO reserves the right to change, modify, or otherwise amend this Privacy Statement at its sole discretion and at any time as it deems circumstances warrant. Any such changes will be posted on this page. When the Privacy Policy is changed in a material manner, NECO will update the ”Last Updated Date” at the bottom of this Privacy Policy.