TSTA Privacy Statement
I. Introduction
The Texas State Teachers Association (“TSTA”) values the trust and privacy of its members and other supporters. This Privacy Policy sets forth TSTA’s practices regarding: (1) what personal information we collect about you — both online and offline via traditional, hard copy forms; (2) how we use that information; (3) under what circumstances we disclose it; (4) what choices are available to you regarding such information collection. This Privacy Policy also provides some additional information for users of the TSTA website.
II. Definitions
As used in this Privacy Policy, the following terms have the meanings indicated below: The term “we” or “us” means TSTA.
A. The term “you” means a current or former TSTA member or other person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining a TSTA product or service (e.g., a person who subscribes to a TSTA-produced electronic newsletter).
B. The term “personal information” means any piece of information that on its own can specifically identify a current or former TSTA member or other person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining a TSTA product or service. This would include, but is not limited to, full name, postal address, e-mail address, social security number, or financial information.
C. The term “TSTA website” means TSTA’s external website located at: tsta.org, mytsta.org and tstaweb.net and any future websites that we may develop.
D. The term “third party” means a legal entity that is separate and independent from TSTA, its local affiliates, or any TSTA-related organization.
E. The term “cookie” means a small file that is placed on your computer that allows a website to store, and sometimes track, information about how you use that website.
F. The term “discussion forum” means an asynchronous website component that enables users to exchange ideas by posting questions and answers on relevant subjects. Discussion forums are also commonly referred to as “discussion groups,” “discussion boards,” “message boards,” “bulletin boards,” and “online forums.”
III. Personal Information Collected
We may collect personal information about you from the following sources:
A. Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us on your membership application and other TSTA forms — whether online or offline via traditional, hard copy forms (such as your name, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address, social security number, etc.).
B. Other Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us via the TSTA website (such as an e- mail address if you subscribe to a TSTA-produced electronic newsletter or other personal information contained in an e-mail that you send to us via the feedback feature of the TSTA website).
C. Personal Information that we receive from our local affiliates or other TSTA-related organizations (such as your name, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address, social security number, etc.).
D. Personal Information that we receive from third parties such as publicly available voter registration information.
IV. How We Use That Information
The personal information that TSTA collects about you helps us and our local affiliates and TSTA- related organizations to efficiently and effectively represent you and provide you with valuable member benefits.
V. Information Sharing
In order to provide you with efficient and effective representation and member benefits, we routinely share all of the personal information that we collect about you, as described in Section III above, with our local affiliates and TSTA-related organizations, as well as third parties that perform services on our behalf.
Additionally, we may share any of the personal information that we collect about you, as described in Section III above, with certain third parties that share our interests or as otherwise permitted by law.
VI. Available Choices
Any personal information that you provide to us is voluntary. TSTA members may update their personal information at any time. For information on how to contact us, please visit the TSTA website at https://www.tsta.org/contact.
If you subscribe to any TSTA-produced electronic newsletter, you may cancel your subscription at any time by following the instructions at the bottom of all such newsletters. If you have any problems canceling such a subscription, please contact us at https://www.tsta.org/contact.
VII. Additional Information for Users of the TSTA Web Site
A. Collection and Use of Non-Personal Information
If you use the TSTA website, you provide us with certain non-personal information in addition to any personal information that you may voluntarily provide. For example, if you browse the TSTA website or download information, our operating system automatically records the following non-personal information:
1. The Internet domain for your Internet service (such as “xcompany.com” or “xcompany.net” if you use a private Internet access account, or “yourcollege.edu” if you connect from a college or university domain);
2. The type of browser that you use (such as “America Online version 7” or “Microsoft Internet Explorer 5”);
3. The type of operating system that you use (such as Windows or Macintosh);
4. The date and time that you visit the TSTA website and the webpages that you view;
5. The address of the previous website that you visited if you linked to us from another website; and
6. The address of the next website that you visit if you link to it from the TSTA website.
We use the above non-personal information to diagnose technical problems and track user interests so that we can provide content that interests you.
We gather this non-personal information in the aggregate and we share it in the same manner that we share personal information, as described in Section V above.
B. Cookies
We use cookies to track what you are viewing when you visit the TSTA website, and to enhance your user experience. In order to provide you with customized content and an enhanced user experience, certain cookies used by TSTA identify you as an individual. If you are concerned about TSTA’s use of cookies, check your Internet browser. Most have a setting that will allow you to reject cookies. However, some TSTA features and services may not function properly if your cookies are disabled.
Additionally, TSTA allows third parties who advertise or provide content on the TSTA website to use cookies. Third parties’ use of cookies is subject to their own privacy policies, and is not governed by this Privacy Policy.
C. Discussion Forums
If you participate in a discussion forum on the TSTA website, your comments, along with any personal information that you voluntarily disclose, may be collected, used, and shared by anyone with access to that forum. We are not responsible for the personal information that you choose to submit in a discussion forum.
D. Children
The TSTA website is a general website, and we do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13.
E. External Links
This Privacy Policy applies only to the TSTA website. It does not cover any websites that are linked to or from the TSTA website for which we are not responsible (“linked-sites”). These linked-sites will have their own policies and practices which may be different from ours. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the policies and practices of the linked-sites, especially if you provide personal information to them.
VIII. Effective Date, Amendments, and Consent to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy is effective March 13, 2017. We retain the right to amend or otherwise update this Privacy Policy at any time for any reason. By joining TSTA or using the TSTA website, you consent to the collection, use, and sharing of personal information as we have described herein. If we amend or update our Privacy Policy, we will post the changes online at the TSTA website so that you are always aware of TSTA’s current practices. You may also contact us at Webmaster@tsta.org at any time to request an up-to-date hard copy version of the Privacy Policy.
IX. Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, you can contact TSTA at Webmaster@tsta.org.
