This Section
Privacy Policy
On This Page: Internet Privacy Policy | Security of Student Records | Social Security Number Collection & Usage | Important Privacy Links
Internet Privacy Statment
Palm Beach State College (“PBSC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who visit our website. This Privacy Statement outlines our practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of information you may provide or that may be automatically collected when you interact with our website. We do not collect personal information unless you choose to voluntarily provide it to us.
Information We Gather Automatically
When you visit our website, our servers automatically log certain information about your visit. This information includes your Internet domain and IP address from which you access our site. This data does not result in the identification of your personal email address or any other personal information. Additionally, we collect data on the date, time, and pages accessed during your visit to monitor the volume and timing of site usage.
We use this information, in conjunction with Google Analytics, to gather metrics about site usage, including geographic location, navigation pathways, and device or browser-related details. This helps us to improve the structure and content of our website. We may also share aggregate, non-personally identifiable information with certain business partners to enhance our site and improve our marketing and advertising efforts.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website uses cookies, which are small text files stored on your device to facilitate
website functionality and track user preferences. Cookies help us keep you logged
into secure areas of the site and retain your preferences when using certain services.
We also use third-party cookies that enable third-party functionalities, such as advertising,
interactive content, and analytics services. These cookies collect data that may be
used, in identifiable or aggregate form, to understand how our website is used and
to assess the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. Third parties that set these
cookies may recognize your device when it accesses our website and other websites.
You may manage or disable cookies by adjusting your browser settings, though certain features of our website may not function properly without cookies. In addition to cookies, we use other tracking technologies such as beacons, pixels, mobile identifiers, and tracking URLs to collect log data and track user behavior.
Cookie Consent and Opt-Out Options
Upon visiting our website, you will be notified about the use of cookies and similar
technologies. You have the option to consent to the use of these technologies that
collect personal data or opt-out where legally required. If you choose to disable
cookies in your browser settings or through our Cookie Settings page, certain functionalities
of our website may not operate correctly.
Security of Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requires each institution to determine "directory information" that may be released without the student's consent, unless the student has specifically requested that some or all of the information not be released. Palm Beach State has classified the following as directory information:
- Student name
- Personal e-mail address (non-institutional)
- Dates of attendance (session dates only)
- Major field of study
- Weight and height of members of athletic teams
- Degrees and awards received
- Educational institution attended
If a student does not wish to have the directory information released, the student must go to their Workday Student profile. Please follow the instructions provided in this Non-Disclosure Opt-in document.
Social Security Number Collection and Usage
In compliance with FL Statute 119.071(5), Palm Beach State College issues this notification regarding the purpose of the collection and use of your social security number.
Palm Beach State collects your social security number for use in performance of the College's duties and responsibilities. To protect your identity, Palm Beach State will secure your social security number from unauthorized access. Palm Beach State will never release your social security number to unauthorized parties, and each student at Palm Beach State will be issued a unique student identification number. Your unique ID number is used for all associated educational purposes at Palm Beach State such as registration, access of your online records, etc.
Specifically, Palm Beach State collects students' social security numbers for the following purposes:
Admissions
Federal legislation relating to the Hope Tax Credit requires that all postsecondary
institutions report the social security number of all postsecondary students to the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This IRS requirement makes it necessary for community
colleges to collect the social security number of every student. A student may refuse
to disclose his or her social security number to the College for this purpose, but
the College is authorized by IRS to fine the student $50.
In addition to the federal reporting requirements, the public school system in Florida uses social security number as a student identifier (section 1008.386, F.S.). In a seamless K-20 system, it is beneficial for postsecondary institutions to have access to the same information for purposes of tracking and assisting students in the smooth transition from one education level to the next. All social security numbers are protected by federal regulations and are never released to unauthorized parties.
Financial Aid
A student's social security number is required for the following financial aid purposes:
The United States Department of Education's (USDOE) Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) requires all applicants to report their social security number to be used
for all federal financial aid programs as a student identifier for processing and
reporting. In addition to its use by USDOE as a student identifier, the social security
number is required in order for the Department of Homeland Security to investigate
citizenship status, for the Federal Work Study Program, and is required on all loan
applications for use by the lender/servicer/guarantor.
Palm Beach State collects a student's social security number on certain institutional scholarship applications for student files and federal and state audit/reporting purposes.
If you are a recipient of a State of Florida grant or scholarship such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant, Florida Work Experience or Bright Futures the State of Florida Department of Education will require the use of the social security number on their grant/scholarship disbursement website and for reporting purposes.
Veteran Services
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs utilizes social security numbers as an identifier.
In order for the College to certify veterans for VA educational benefits, it is necessary
to obtain the veterans; social security numbers to match the veterans with the records
maintained by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
Outreach Programs
The College Reach-Out Programs are youth outreach (intervention) projects funded by
discretionary grants from the US or FL Departments of Education. In order to verify
a participant's project eligibility, social security numbers are required and also
later used when submitting information for the Annual Performance Reports due to the
US or FL Departments of Education.
Workforce Programs
These programs, funded through the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), use your
social security number as an identifier for program enrollment and completion. Also,
it is used for entering placement information into either the OSMIS or the Employ
Florida Marketplace statewide data collection and reporting system. Because these
are performance based contract programs, AWI requires that all participants and their
program related activities be recorded in the Florida state system.
Important Links
If you are looking for the Notice of Nondiscrimination, please click here or the "Notice of Nondiscrimination link" in our website footer.
If you are looking for the Disclosures, please click here, or the "Consumer Disclosures" link in our website footer.
Additional policies, including information security, data classification and handeling, and student records, can be found on the District Board of Trustees Policies webpage.