How we use your personal information

This statement explains how the Cambridge University Science and Policy Exchange (“we”, “us” and “our”) handles and uses the personal information we collect about our members, mailing list recipients, and event attendees for processes relating to our operations and activities.

When changes are made to this statement, we will publish the updated version on our website.

The controller for your personal information is the Cambridge University Science and Policy Exchange. The person responsible for data protection within our society is the Head of Marketing and Communications, who can be contacted at enquiries@cuspe.org. An additional contact for data protection queries is the President (president@cuspe.org).

1. Visiting our website

We do not collect any personal information about you when you navigate our website. We use the WP Statistics plugin, in order to understand which topics and posts our visitors find more relevant. User IPs are anonymised in this process, and no information to identify you is collected.

2. If you choose to provide us with more information about yourself

You may do so by signing up to our newsletter, or registering to one of our events. In this case, the following applies.

2.1. We may collect and process your personal information for a number of purposes

  • Maintaining your personal details (e.g. your name, and preferred contact details) to ensure effective communications with you.
  • Maintaining a formal record of your activities with us (e.g. events attended).
  • Undertaking research into our own activities.
  • Managing complaints made to us.
  • Managing society alumni relations and fundraising.

Our normal legal basis for processing your personal information is that we believe it is in our legitimate interests to do so, in order for the society to run effectively and efficiently. We keep your personal information only for as long as we need it.

We only collect and use minimal information, for the limited purposes listed above. We will never use your personal information outside of the purposes listed here without first seeking your consent to do so.

2.2. How we use your personal information

  • Personal information is not shared outside of the society and its members without your consent.
  • As part of any collaborations that you apply to take part in, we may have to share your personal information with specific organisations. In such cases, we will ask for your consent prior to transmitting this information.
  • We may also be subject to a legal requirement (with or without your consent) to share your personal information with the University or a government agency (such as the police or security services or other statutory authorities with investigatory powers) under special circumstances (e.g. relating to tax, crime or health and safety).  Where feasible and appropriate, we will notify you of our intention to share such information in advance.

3. Your rights

You have the right to access the personal information that we hold about you. You also have the right to ask us to correct any inaccurate personal information we hold about you, to delete personal information, or otherwise restrict our processing, or to object to processing or communications, or to receive an electronic copy of the personal information you provided to us. Please note that all of these rights are qualified in various ways.

If you have questions or concerns about how your personal information is used, please contact us using the above details.

If you remain unhappy with the way your information is being handled, or with the response received from us, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF.

Last updated: 04/02/19