Information Collection
Illinois State University collects various information from many sources regarding the individuals accessing the sites on the University’s network. There are two ways through which ISU collects information. First, the information could be collected directly from the site users. For example, a user’s personal information could be collected for authentication purposes when logging into a site. Information is also collected to provide various services to users, such as when applying to University. In regard to financial transactions happening on ISU’s sites, ISU collects information about the purchase/transaction, such as payment information, account or authentication information, address details, and contact details. ISU does not store full numbers of the financial instruments (i.e. credit card or debit card numbers).
Secondly, the information may be generated and collected automatically while providing site services. This includes information about individuals’ use of services, including the web pages visited, the referring web page, and the duration of the visit for a particular user. Further, ISU may also collect information related to a user’s device. This includes the device’s network protocol, operating system version, web browser information, and web history. ISU may store the collected information (direct or indirect) electronically or manually.
What are some examples of sources?
- PeopleSoft
- Our PeopleSoft environment is one of our major student and employee information systems. It is the source of record for some of our most significant student data including classes, grades, registration, and other student record data.
- Reggienet
- Reggienet is our main learning management system. It generates and houses data for classes.
Information Usage
ISU uses the collected information to provide services consistent with the University’s mission and to identify problems or ways to improve services. Personal information collected from University students, faculty, staff, and members of the University community is used for various purposes, including admission purposes, academic purposes, accommodations, alumni purposes, co-curricular and student activities, community engagement activities, employment purposes, facilities support, health services, housing and dining information, information technology purposes, legal purposes, for marketing and communications purposes, for teaching and instructional purposes, and other administrative purposes.
Implications of Collecting Data and How It’s Used
ISU needs to ensure appropriate data standards for handling/managing the data we are collecting. Different granting agencies have their own rules for how to manage data, for how long we must keep it, and in what way. A great place to start is with our Institutional Review Board which assists faculty with understanding how to classify data and then how to protect that data.
There is a lot of data that is and can be collected for use of services and activities. Because of that and the need to keep trust with our students, faculty, and staff, there must be appropriate controls placed around how the data is collected and used. There are some very large IT companies that have received a lot of bad press recently because they were either collecting data no one knew about or used the data they collected in ways they did not notify their users about that specific use. At ISU, we want and need to be good stewards of that data and ensure that the campus community continues to have trust in how we use their data.
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