Privacy Statement

Introduction

The Morningside Academy for Design is committed to supporting the privacy of those who engage with our programs and activities.This Privacy Statement explains how we handle and use the personal information we collect about members of our community.

What personal information we collect

While specific information may vary for particular individuals, we may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal information about you, which we have grouped together as follows:

  • Basic biographic/contact information – home and business addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and social media contact information.
  • Demographic information – names, gender, birth and death dates, photograph.
  • Analytical information – aggregated information related to web visitor activity and email marketing actions.
  • Program participation details – events attended, affiliations, roles (e.g., speaker, fellow).

How we collect personal information about you

We collect personal information directly from individuals through forms, event registrations, or subscriptions, and from third-party services such as Eventbrite, Mailchimp, and social media platforms.

How we use your personal information

We use your personal information for a number of legitimate purposes all in support of the Institute and its mission.Specifically, we use your personal information to:

  1. Send approved email communications.
  2. Create guest lists for specific events.
  3. Share information about programs, opportunities, and news relevant to your interests.
  4. Administer and improve our events and offerings.
  5. Respond to inquiries or requests you submit.
  6. Maintain internal records and comply with applicable policies.

If you have concerns about any of these purposes, or how we communicate with you, please contact us at mitmad[a]mit.edu. We will always respect a request by you to stop processing your personal information (subject to our legal obligations).

When we share your personal information

To perform the functions listed above, we may share your information with third-party service providers solely for the purposes described above.

How your information is stored and secured

MIT uses risk-assessed administrative, technical and physical security measures to protect your personal information. MIT does not sell your personal data or share it for purposes unrelated to its mission.

The Morningside Academy for Design stores and manages data using third-party platforms including Airtable (for internal records and contact management), Mailchimp (for email communications), and Eventbrite (for event registration and attendance tracking). These platforms maintain their own security protocols and comply with applicable data protection standards. Access to your information is limited to authorized MIT personnel and is restricted to legitimate Institute activities.

How long we keep your personal information

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law and MIT policy. If you request that your information be deleted from our records, we will make reasonable efforts to comply, subject to any legal or operational requirements.

Rights for Individuals in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom (UK)

You have the right in certain circumstances to (1) access your personal information; (2) to correct or erase information; (3) restrict processing; and (4) object to communications, direct marketing, or profiling.To the extent applicable, the EEA’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides further information about your rights.You also have the right to lodge complaints with your national or regional data protection authority.

If you are inclined to exercise these rights, we request an opportunity to discuss with you any concerns you may have. To protect the personal information we hold, we may also request further information to verify your identity when exercising these rights.Upon a request to erase information, we will maintain a core set of personal data to ensure we do not contact you inadvertently in the future, as well as any information necessary for MIT archival purposes.We may also need to retain some financial information for legal purposes, including US IRS compliance.In the event of an actual or threatened legal claim, we may retain your information for purposes of establishing, defending against or exercising our rights with respect to such claim.

By providing information directly to MIT, you consent to the transfer of your personal information outside of the European Economic Area to the United States.You understand that the current laws and regulations of the United States may not provide the same level of protection as the data and privacy laws and regulations of the EEA.

You are under no statutory or contractual obligation to provide any personal data to us. The controller for your personal information is MIT.

If you are in the EEA or UK and wish to assert any of your applicable GDPR rights, please contact [email protected].

Additional Information

We may change this Privacy Statement from time to time. If we make any significant changes in the way we treat your personal information we will make this clear on our MIT websites or by contacting you directly.

This policy was last updated in April 2024.