Privacy Policy

Main Database 
This policy applies to information stored in WPAOG’s main database. This database is used for all communications with alumni, donors, and friends, to store contact preferences, and to store data for statistical and historical purposes.

Data Storage
WPAOG stores information in its main database within the following categories:

• Biographical and Demographic Information: name, address(es), phone number(s), email address(es), current and past military assignment(s), West Point legacy relationships, and civilian sector employment
• Academic: USMA degree, major (where applicable), and class year; sports, clubs, and activities as a cadet; degree(s), class year(s), and major(s) for other institutions attended (if reported)
• Gifts and Payments: Philanthropic affinity donations, event registration fees, gift shop purchases, etc.

Data Protection
WPAOG protects its data in the following ways:

• Data is stored in a password-protected database
• Only appropriate, well-trained WPAOG staff members may access specific data elements and update individual records
• Policies and procedures guide the use and access of the information

Data Usage 
Policy for the Release of Constituent Information: 
Unless in an aggregate form without personal details (e.g. demographic data), WPAOG will never share data outside of West Point and its affiliated parties. WPAOG may share your personal contact information with authorized parties (see bullets below this paragraph) other than WPAOG staff for specific, approved purposes unless you specify otherwise. “Contact information” refers to postal and email addresses and phone numbers (home, mobile, and/or business). 

Authorized parties and purposes include but are not limited to: 

• Leadership of supported alumni groups – West Point societies, classes, and officially recognized affinity groups –  for communication regarding the official business of these groups
• Reunion coordinators for reunion planning and communications 
• USMA staff and faculty for the stewardship of philanthropic gifts 
• WPAOG business partners for specific solicitation and marketing purposes as outlined in contractual agreements

Authorized purposes only include those consistent with WPAOG’s mission: to support West Point and the Long Gray Line. Typically, such use involves informing WPAOG members about WPAOG and USMA activities, events, programs, and news.
Contact information may never be used for commercial, religious, or political purposes. Groups wishing to raise funds for West Point must work with the appropriate point of contact (POC) in WPAOG’s Development office. WPAOG reserves the right to deny access to contact information to any parties found in violation of this policy.
As a rule, WPAOG staff will not provide contact information for purposes not clearly related to the mission of WPAOG (i.e. for personal use). Where possible, WPAOG staff will assist in relaying a message and leave it to the recipient of the message to respond. Graduates may also use the “Find a Grad” online directory to correspond with each other. (The directory information is limited to email and city and state of residence. Individual members may elect to make their email address private on the profile update page so they are not available online.) Graduates can connect with each other on the WPAOG-supported GradLink; it is not intended to pull complete rosters but to do individual searches.

• WPAOG APPS and third-party licensees that access WPAOG databases, such as Evertrue/Grad Link, (which access profile and behavior data from LinkedIn and Facebook) and Hivebrite/SallyPort, Korn Ferry, Tableau will not maintain, track, share or sell constituents’ data to any other parties, or use to target marketing or other communications for their products.
• Privacy of User location will not be tracked via cell phone providers via APP software without the consent of the constituent (e.g. via Weather, fitness, navigation apps)
• GradLink, our smartphone app for connecting members of the Long Gray Line, if granted access to your location, will use it to enable the “Alumni Nearby” feature, a mapping tool that shows your proximity to other grads based on their address of record and your current location.  Your location data is not stored or used in any other way, and if you do not grant access to your location data the map will default to Boston.  The map feature can also be used by entering a city name or zip code and their location reflects their primary mailing address, not where they are currently located.  The other data contained in the app is covered by a non-disclosure agreement with the vendor that provides the service and is not shared or sold to any third party.
• Linking of Constituents’ social media profiles with their WPAOG user identity will be done on an “opt-in” basis.

Graduates and friends may direct WPAOG to keep contact information confidential or reserved for only particular types of contacts (see “Preferences and Privacy Settings” below).
Preferences and Privacy Settings 
You have the following choices available to limit the use of or access to your information: 
1)    You may ask WPAOG to annotate your record in the database as “WPAOG Staff Use Only.” 
a.    This note REMOVES your name and contact information from the alumni directory on the WPAOG website and from rosters provided to alumni groups supported by WPAOG such as West Point Societies and USMA classes. You WILL NOT receive routine communication from your class, society, or other shared interest groups, which includes reunion information. 
b.    You WILL still receive communications generated by WPAOG staff such as West Point magazine, fundraising letters, and offers from authorized vendors and business partners.
2)    You may ask WPAOG to add a “No Affinity Program Use” note to your record. This will REMOVE your name and contact information from lists shared with authorized partners who work closely with WPAOG to offer benefits and services to West Point graduates and friends (e.g. USAA).
3)    You may request “No Correspondence Ever.” This means you WILL NOT receive ANY communications from WPAOG, trusted business partners, or volunteers including Class and Society Leadership. To that end, your name WILL NOT appear on Class or Society rosters or be included in any affinity group communications.
4)    You also have the option to exclude yourself from particular communications, such as travel program emails, solicitations, or class/society mailings, as well as particular communication methods such as correspondence by email, mail, or phone.
NOTE: Marking your email private in the online directory as mentioned in the Release of Constituent Information section of this policy is completely separate from the options above. The options above apply to your record in WPAOG’s main database and that coding will override checking or unchecking “Make private” in the directory. Visit My Profile (you must be logged in) on WPAOG’s website for more details.  Lastly, hiding personal information publicly available on GradLink DOES NOT remove that data from WPAOG’s internal database. 

If you have any questions about the preference and privacy settings available to you and/or would like to know how your record is currently annotated, please contact Advancement Services at address@wpaog.org or 800.232.4723, ext. 1554.

Additional Data Collection
Register of Graduates: This data is available to graduates, former cadets, and widows/widowers through the WPAOG website. (A password is required.) The Register of Graduates contains primarily self-reported information related to a professional career, including military assignments, awards, and civilian positions of West Point graduates and former cadets. This information is printed periodically and published in the Register of Graduates and Former Cadets.

Cullum Files: WPAOG maintains a Cullum File for each graduate. These files contain personal biographical data, including USMA and WPAOG documents. Similar to the Register of Graduates, the information stored in the Cullum Files is largely self-reported. A graduate may only access his/her own Cullum File. If living, only the owner of the Cullum File can provide permission for others to view its contents. If the graduate is deceased, WPAOG may permit access to his/her Cullum file for research purposes. Routine use of the Cullum Files by WPAOG or USMA staff is permitted. Guidelines for content to be submitted to the Cullum Files can be found in Grad Historical Records under the Services area of WPAOG’s website.

If you have any questions about WPAOG’s main database and/or the policies above, call us toll free at 1.800.232.4723 or email Address@wpaog.org.