Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Protecting your personal privacy is a priority at Cleveland Community College. This Privacy Statement describes how Cleveland Community College collects, uses, maintains, protects, and discloses information gathered from users of the www.clevelandcc.edu website and other sites we own and operate (collectively, the “website”). By visiting or using the website, you accept the practices described in this statement.
This statement applies to information collected on this website, in email and other electronic communications with us, and through mobile or desktop applications you download from this website. It does not apply to information collected offline, through other means, or by third-party service providers such as our learning management system, student information system, or other platforms, each of which is subject to its own privacy policy.
North Carolina Public Records Notice
Data collected by this website may be subject to disclosure under Chapter 132 of the North Carolina General Statutes (“NCGS”) as a public record. Personal information you voluntarily submit to Cleveland Community College through this website may become a public record once provided, and may be subject to public inspection, distribution, and copying unless protected by federal or state law, including FERPA. Please see NCGS Chapter 132 for information on records that are excluded from disclosure.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Cleveland Community College complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (“FERPA”). This Privacy Statement does not apply to student education records protected by FERPA. Student records are governed by the College’s FERPA policy, which addresses both directory and non-directory information.
For information on the College’s handling of student records, including your rights to access, amend, and control disclosure of your education records, please refer to the Cleveland Community College FERPA policy available on our website or through the Office of Student Affairs.
Students are encouraged to review the College’s FERPA Annual Notice for a complete description of their rights regarding education records, including rights of inspection, correction, and disclosure, as well as complaint procedures.
Nothing in this Privacy Statement authorizes the disclosure of student education records or directory information in a manner inconsistent with FERPA or Cleveland Community College policies governing student records. Cleveland Community College’s FERPA policy limits release of directory information, including student name, address, enrollment status, and degree received, only to organizations that demonstrate a legitimate educational interest or provide a direct service to the College. Accordingly, the marketing and advertising practices described in this Privacy Statement apply only to general website visitors and do not authorize use of student education records for marketing purposes.
Information submitted through admissions, recruitment, or enrollment processes may become part of a student’s official education record upon enrollment and will thereafter be governed by FERPA and College student records policies.
Distance Education and Identity Verification
Cleveland Community College is committed to protecting the privacy of students enrolled in distance education courses. The College does not share distance education students’ protected or identifying information with third parties except as required by law or as necessary to support educational services. To protect all students, the College employs identity verification methods for distance education including secure login credentials, passcodes to the learning management system, and other authentication measures as required.
Information We Collect
Cleveland Community College collects two types of information from website visitors:
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit our website, certain non-personally identifying information is collected automatically, including:
- Internet domain and IP address of the device accessing the site
- Browser type, operating system, and device type
- Date, time, and duration of your visit
- Web pages visited and referring website
- Number of bytes of data transferred
- Search queries made on the website
This information is used to generate aggregate statistics, diagnose server problems, improve website usability, and administer our systems. It is examined only in the aggregate and is not linked to any personally identifying information.
Personally Identifiable Information
Personal information is collected only when you voluntarily provide it. Examples of when we may request personal information include:
- Submitting an inquiry, request for information, or contact form
- Completing an application for enrollment or registration
- Signing up for campus visits, events, or orientations
- Responding to surveys or providing feedback
- Making a payment or completing an online transaction
- Sending an email to College personnel
Personal information we may collect includes name, mailing address, email address, phone number, and in certain contexts, social security number or payment information. We collect only what is necessary to fulfill the purpose of your interaction with us. You may choose not to provide personal information, though doing so may limit your ability to use certain features or services.
Your email address and the contents of messages you send us will be used to respond to your inquiry, address issues you identify, and improve our services. Email addresses are not collected for commercial purposes and will not be sold or disclosed for non-college use.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Cleveland Community College uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. A cookie is a small text file stored on your device by your web browser. We use cookies to:
- Recognize returning visitors and remember preferences
- Analyze how visitors navigate and use the website
- Measure the effectiveness of our website and advertising
- Store login session information for password-protected areas
Cookie types we may use include session cookies (which expire when you close your browser), persistent cookies (which remain until deleted or expired), and third-party cookies placed by services such as Google Analytics.
Google Analytics
Cleveland Community College uses Google Analytics to monitor how visitors access and use our website. Google Analytics collects information such as IP address, browser type, device, pages visited, and general location (city level). This data is reviewed only in aggregate and does not include personally identifying information. For more information or to opt out of Google Analytics tracking, visit: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Third-Party Advertising and Social Media Pixels
Our website may use tools such as Google Ads and social media tracking pixels (such as from Facebook/Meta) to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns and deliver relevant content to prospective students. These tools may collect your IP address and browsing behavior through cookies and web beacons. Cleveland Community College does not control third-party tracking technologies and is not responsible for the data practices of third-party advertisers.
You may opt out of interest-based advertising through the Network Advertising Initiative at https://optout.networkadvertising.org or the Digital Advertising Alliance at https://youradchoices.com. You may also manage or delete cookies at any time through your browser or device settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website.
Web Beacons
Pages on our website and emails we send may contain web beacons (also known as clear gifs or pixel tags), which are small electronic files used to count visitors, track page popularity, and verify server integrity. Web beacons do not collect personally identifying information.
How We Use Your Information
Cleveland Community College uses the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To present the website and its contents to you
- To respond to your inquiries and provide requested services
- To process transactions, payments, or registrations
- To send you information about College programs, services, and events (with your permission)
- To improve the functionality, content, and user experience of the website
- To monitor and analyze usage trends and measure advertising effectiveness
- To detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized activity
- To comply with legal obligations and enforce our rights
- To fulfill any other purpose disclosed at the time you provide the information
If you do not wish to receive marketing communications from Cleveland Community College, you may opt out at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email or by contacting us directly. Opting out of marketing communications will not affect transactional messages related to your enrollment, account, or services.
Disclosure of Your Information
Cleveland Community College does not sell, trade, or rent your personally identifying information to others. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
- With contractors, service providers, and affiliated organizations (such as the College Foundation) that support our operations, under confidentiality obligations, and only as necessary to perform their services
- To fulfill the purpose for which you provided the information
- To comply with a court order, law, legal process, subpoena, or governmental request
- To protect the rights, property, or safety of Cleveland Community College, our students, or the public
- To detect, prevent, or address fraud, misuse of the website, or other unauthorized activity
- With your consent for any other purpose disclosed at the time of collection
We may share aggregated, non-personally identifying information publicly or with partners for research, reporting, or website improvement purposes. SMS opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third party for purposes unrelated to providing you with the services of that messaging program. We may share your SMS opt-in or consent status with vendors who assist us in delivering text messages, including platform providers and phone carriers.
Data Retention
Cleveland Community College retains personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and in accordance with the North Carolina Community College System Standard Records Retention and Disposition Schedule. Internet services logs are archived for future reference and security purposes. Information submitted through forms, applications, or transactions is retained in accordance with the records retention schedule applicable to the relevant program or office.
Your Rights and Choices
You have the following rights and choices regarding your personal information:
Access and Correction. Any user may submit a written request to determine whether personal information pertaining to them has been collected through this website. Requests must include reasonable proof of identity. Upon verification, Cleveland Community College will provide access to the information or explain why access is being denied, within a reasonable timeframe. You also have the right to request that inaccurate personal information be corrected.
Opt-Out of Marketing. You may opt out of receiving marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link in any such communication or by contacting us directly.
Cookies. You may set your browser to refuse all or some cookies or to alert you when cookies are being sent. Note that disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of the website.
Do-Not-Track Signals. At this time, our website does not respond to browser “do-not-track” signals.
To submit a request regarding your personal information, please contact us using the information in the Contact section below.
Children’s Privacy (COPPA)
Cleveland Community College’s website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through general website use. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly in accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”).
As a community college, Cleveland Community College does serve dual-enrollment and early college students who may be under 18. Personal information submitted on behalf of a minor in connection with enrollment or College programs should be provided by a parent or legal guardian.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to monitor their children’s online activity and to contact us immediately if they believe their child has provided personal information to us without their consent.
Data Security
Cleveland Community College is committed to protecting your personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. We implement a variety of physical, technical, and administrative safeguards, including:
- Secure servers and firewalls
- Encryption of sensitive data in transit using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and similar methodologies
- Restricted employee access to personally identifiable information, limited to those with a need to know
- Authentication, authorization, monitoring, and auditing procedures
- Software to monitor network traffic and identify unauthorized access attempts
Where you have been given (or chosen) a password to access certain areas of the website, you are responsible for keeping that password confidential. Please do not share your credentials with anyone. If you suspect unauthorized access to your account, please report it to us immediately.
Cleveland Community College maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards consistent with College information security and student records confidentiality procedures, including restricted access controls, authentication requirements, password standards, data transmission controls, and encryption for off-campus records.
While we make every effort to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and any transmission of personal information is at your own risk. Cleveland Community College will not accept liability for unauthorized disclosure resulting from circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
Data Breach Procedures
In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, Cleveland Community College will follow applicable federal and North Carolina state notification requirements. We will take prompt steps to contain the breach, assess the scope of impact, and notify affected individuals and relevant authorities as required by law.
Third-Party Websites and Embedded Content
Our website may contain links to third-party websites and embedded content (such as videos, social media feeds, or articles) that are not owned or operated by Cleveland Community College. This Privacy Statement applies only to information collected through our website. Third-party sites and embedded content may collect data about you, use their own cookies, and employ tracking technologies independently. Cleveland Community College is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external site you visit.
SMS/Text Messaging and Voice Call Privacy
SMS/Text Messaging
Cleveland Community College uses SMS/text messaging to communicate with students, prospective students, employees, and other subscribers. Messages may include both informational and promotional content such as admissions updates, enrollment reminders, event information, student services notices, and promotional information about College programs and opportunities. Message frequency may vary; you may receive multiple messages per week depending on your engagement with the College.
Information collected in connection with SMS communications, including your mobile number and opt-in consent status, is used solely to provide the messaging services described herein. SMS opt-in data and consent will not be shared with third parties for purposes unrelated to delivering those services. We may share your opt-in status with trusted service providers, such as messaging platform providers and phone carriers, solely for the purpose of delivering SMS communications, under appropriate confidentiality obligations.
You may opt in to receive SMS messages by submitting a form on our website and selecting the SMS consent option, completing an application or inquiry and explicitly agreeing to receive text messages, registering for an event and opting into text communications, or through other College communication channels. Applicants will receive SMS communications only after providing express consent through a form, application, event registration, or other documented opt-in mechanism. By opting in, you provide express consent to receive messages, including messages sent using automated technology or AI-assisted systems.
You may opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any text message. After opting out, you may receive a final confirmation message confirming your unsubscribe request. You may opt back in at any time through any available opt-in channel. For assistance, reply HELP to any message or contact Cleveland Community College using the contact information provided on our website.
Message and data rates may apply based on your wireless carrier plan. Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Message delivery may be affected by carrier network conditions.
SMS-related information, including your mobile number and consent status, is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this statement or as required by applicable law. When no longer needed, such information is securely deleted or anonymized.
Text messages are intended for notifications, reminders, promotional content, and general college communications. Sensitive educational records protected by FERPA will not be disclosed through SMS except as permitted by law and College policy.
Consent to receive text messages is not a condition of admission, enrollment, employment, or receipt of services from Cleveland Community College. For full terms governing SMS communications, see Section 1.2 of our Website Terms of Use.
Voice Call Communications
Cleveland Community College may contact you by phone, including through calls made using automated technology, AI-assisted systems, and/or prerecorded or artificial voice messages. These calls may be made for both informational and promotional purposes, including admissions and enrollment communications, application status updates, event reminders, student engagement and support, and promotional information about College programs and opportunities.
By providing your phone number to Cleveland Community College, you consent to receive such calls. Some calls may be conducted or supported by automated systems or AI-assisted technology. Calls may be recorded and/or monitored for quality assurance, training, record-keeping, and compliance purposes. By engaging in a call with the College, you acknowledge that the call may be recorded where permitted by applicable law.
You may opt out of receiving phone calls at any time by informing the caller during any call, contacting the College directly, or following any opt-out instructions provided during the call. The College will process opt-out requests in accordance with applicable law, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
Information collected during phone communications, including call records and interaction details, is used to respond to inquiries, support admissions and enrollment processes, improve College services, and maintain records of interactions. This information is not sold or shared with third parties for their independent marketing purposes.
Consent to receive phone calls is not a condition of admission, enrollment, employment, or receipt of services from Cleveland Community College. For full terms governing voice call communications, see Section 1.2 of our Website Terms of Use.
Changes to This Privacy Statement
Cleveland Community College reserves the right to update this Privacy Statement at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Material changes will be communicated by prominently posting notice on our website. Your continued use of the website following the posting of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised statement. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Relationship to Terms of Use
This Privacy Statement should be read in conjunction with the Cleveland Community College Website Terms of Use, which governs your use of our website and is incorporated herein by reference. In the event of any conflict between this Privacy Statement and the Terms of Use regarding privacy matters, this Privacy Statement controls.
Contact Information
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Statement, wish to access or correct your personal information, or need to report a privacy concern, please contact:
Cleveland Community College
Attn: IT Department / Webmaster
137 S. Post Road
Shelby, NC 28152
Website: www.clevelandcc.edu