Privacy & Security

Texas State Technical College System (TSTC) values and respects your privacy. TSTC collects Web traffic information on TSTC Web sites for analysis and statistical purposes to better understand our customer needs. This information is not reported or used in any manner that would reveal personally identifiable information, and will not be released to any outside parties unless legally required to do so in connection with law enforcement investigations or other legal proceedings.

Server Log Analysis

TSTC uses server log analysis tools to create summary statistics, which are used for purposes such as assessing what information is of most interest, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas. The following information is collected from server logs for analysis

• User Client hostname - The hostname (or IP address if DNS is disabled) of the user/client requesting access.

• HTTP header, "user-agent" - The user-agent information includes the type of browser, its version, and the operating system it's running on.

• HTTP header, "referrer" - The referrer specifies the page from which the client accessed the current page. System date - The date and time of the user/client request.

• Full request - The exact request the user/client made.

• Status - The status code the server returned to the user/client.

• Content length - The content length, in bytes, of the document sent to the user/client.

• Method - The request method used.

• Universal Resource Identifier (URI) - The location of a resource on the server.

• Query string of the URI - Anything after the question mark in a URI.

• Protocol - The transport protocol and version used.

1. Cookies

TSTC uses cookies for analysis and statistical purposes to gain a better understanding of our customers' needs. TSTC Web sites may also use cookies to provide interactive pages, such as Web-based forms and surveys. A cookie file is an electronic record containing unique information a web site can use to track such things as passwords; lists of pages visited; and the date when a specific page was accessed; or to identify a user session at a particular web site. A cookie is often used in commercial sites to identify the items selected for a specific shopping cart or web portal. TSTC Web sites may require the use of cookies to facilitate applications that display user-specific web pages. Any information that TSTC may store in cookies is used exclusively for internal purposes and will not disclose personally identifiable information to outside parties unless legally required to do so in connection with legal proceedings or law enforcement agencies. Individual departments at TSTC that collect personal information about visitors and use that information for purposes other than those stated above will have a separate privacy statement that will inform how that information is used.

2. Email

State agencies may not sell or release the e-mail addresses of members of the public that have been provided to communicate electronically with a government body without the affirmative consent of the affected member of the public. Personally identifiable information contained in a question or comment sent to TSTC in an e-mail message or submitted in an online form is only used by TSTC to respond to the request and to analyze trends. TSTC may redirect the message to another government agency or person who is in a better position to answer the question.

3. Web Forms

TSTC uses Web-based forms to collect survey results, to provide online registration for some TSTC-sponsored events, and other internal business operations. Personally identifiable information collected from these forms has a specified use (for example, registration, survey response, etc.) and TSTC uses the information only for that purpose.

4. Security Measures

In some cases TSTC uses a secure socket layer (SSL) connection to enhance the security of any information you choose to submit to us on our Web site. In other areas of our Web site, we provide only the security necessary to maintain our Web site and information we provide to you. For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, TSTC employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, no other attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits. Raw data logs are used for no other purposes and are scheduled for regular destruction in accordance with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this service are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Texas Penal Code Chapters 33 (Computer Crimes) or 33A (Telecommunications Crimes).

5. Linking to TSTC Web Sites

Advance permission to link to the TSTC Colleges web sites are not required to make a simple link to the following home pages: http://www.tstc.edu, http://www.harlingen.tstc.edu, http://www.marshall.tstc.edu, http://www.waco.tstc.edu, http://www.westtexas.tstc.edu, and http://www.forecasting.tstc.edu. Links to sub pages, where appropriate are allowed. We reserve the right to change sub pages at any time without notice, so it is up to the user to continuously verify links to TSTC sub pages. TSTC web site pages may not be captured within frames, or otherwise presented as content belonging to anyone other than TSTC. Any link to TSTC sites should be a full forward link that passes the client browser to the respective TSTC site unencumbered. The BACK button should return the visitor to your site if the visitor wishes to back out. Links to individual graphics or tables within TSTC pages, especially in an effort to place the downloading burden on our servers, is forbidden. Such an action may be considered a misuse of state resources and subject to legal action.

6. Copyright

The information posted on a state agency Web site may be copied so long as it is presented in a non-misleading way and does not imply that either the site owner or the information, as it is presented on the site owner's Web site, is endorsed by the State. Use of the information must identify the state agency that is the source of the information, its Web address, the date the information was copied from the state agency's Web site by the site owner and must be accompanied by a statement that neither the site owner nor the information, as it is presented on the site owner's Web site, is endorsed by the State or any state agency. A state agency may not charge a fee to access, use or reproduce information on its Web site or to link to information on its Web site, unless specifically authorized to do so by the Texas Legislature. To protect the intellectual property of state agencies, copied information must reflect the copyright, trademark, service mark or other intellectual property rights of the state agency whose protected information is being used by the site owner.

7. Intellectual Property

See TSTC System Operating Standard (SOS) ES.1.01 for intellectual property policies and procedures.

8. Reciprocal Links

TSTC does not enter into reciprocal link agreements. We provide links to sites that are appropriate to our mission. Our creation of a link to your site does not obligate you to provide a link back to us, but you are, of course, welcome to do so. We always appreciate a note telling us of new links to us. Send link info to: webmaster@tstc.edu.

9. Consent

By using our web site, you consent to the collection and use of the information you provide to us as outlined in this Privacy Policy. We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time and without notice. If we change our Privacy Policy, we will publish those changes on this page.

10. Disclaimer

All of the information provided is believed to be accurate and reliable; however, TSTC assumes no responsibility for any errors, appearing in these rules or otherwise. Further, TSTC assumes no responsibility for the use of the information provided. TSTC specifically disclaims any and all liability for any claims or damages that may result from providing the information contained on the site, including any web sites maintained by third parties and linked to TSTC Web sites. The responsibility for content rests with the organizations that provide the information. The inclusion of links from this site does not imply endorsement by TSTC. Specific questions regarding a document should be directed to the appropriate department and not necessarily to a TSTC Webmaster. TSTC makes no effort to independently verify, and does not exert editorial control over, information on pages outside of the harlingen.tstc.edu domain.