Contents
01 — Overview
What This Policy Covers
This Privacy Policy describes how Cornell BioVentures ("Cornell BioVentures," "we," "our," or "us") collects, uses, and handles information when you visit our website at bioventures.cornell.edu, submit a membership application, contact us by email, or otherwise interact with our organization.
Cornell BioVentures is an independent nonprofit educational organization affiliated with Cornell University and located in Ithaca, New York. We take the privacy of our website visitors, applicants, and members seriously and are committed to handling your information responsibly and transparently.
By using our website or submitting information to us, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or submit information to us.
Important
This website and the activities of Cornell BioVentures are intended solely for educational purposes. Cornell BioVentures does not provide investment advice, financial planning, or any regulated financial service. Nothing on this website constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, or offer to buy or sell any security.
02 — Information We Collect
What Information We Collect and How
We collect information in two ways: information you provide to us directly, and information collected automatically when you visit our website.
| Category | Examples | How Collected |
|---|---|---|
Identity Information |
Name, year, college, major | Membership application form |
Contact Information |
Cornell email address | Membership application form, direct email |
Application Content |
Essays, stated interests, resume or LinkedIn URL | Membership application form |
Communications |
Content of emails sent to us | Direct email correspondence |
Usage Data |
Pages visited, browser type, approximate location, referral source | Automatically via standard web server logs |
Our membership application form currently does not collect sensitive personal information such as race, ethnicity, religion, health information, financial account details, or government identification numbers. We ask only for information relevant to assessing your application.
If you contact us by email, we will retain a record of that correspondence, including any personal information you include in your message.
03 — How We Use It
How We Use the Information We Collect
We use the information we collect only for legitimate organizational purposes consistent with our educational mission. Specifically, we use your information to:
- Review and process membership applications and communicate with applicants about the status of their application.
- Coordinate recruitment interviews, onboarding sessions, and organizational communications with accepted members.
- Maintain internal records of current and former members for organizational continuity purposes.
- Respond to inquiries, questions, or requests submitted to us by email or through contact forms.
- Understand how our website is used and improve its content, structure, and performance over time.
- Comply with applicable legal obligations and university policies.
We do not use your personal information for any commercial purpose. We do not sell, rent, or otherwise monetize personal information. We do not use your information to send unsolicited marketing communications unrelated to your membership or application.
05 — Cookies & Tracking
Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website may use standard web technologies — including browser cookies, local storage, and web server logs — to understand how visitors navigate and use the site. This is standard practice for informational websites and helps us improve the user experience.
Information collected through these standard mechanisms may include:
- The pages you visit and the order in which you visit them
- The type of browser and device you are using
- Your approximate geographic location (country/region level, not precise location)
- The website or link that referred you to our site
- The time and duration of your visit
We do not use third-party advertising cookies or cross-site tracking technologies. We do not serve targeted advertisements on our website and do not participate in advertising networks.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies will not impair your ability to view our website content, though some interactive features may function differently.
06 — Data Retention
How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information for as long as is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, taking into account applicable legal requirements and our legitimate organizational interests.
| Type of Information | Typical Retention Period |
|---|---|
Unsuccessful application materials |
Up to 12 months after the relevant recruitment cycle concludes |
Successful application / member records |
Duration of active membership plus up to 3 years for organizational continuity |
Email correspondence |
Up to 2 years from the date of the correspondence |
Website usage / log data |
Up to 12 months in standard server logs |
When information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it using reasonable administrative measures. You may also request earlier deletion as described in the Your Rights section below.
07 — Security
How We Protect Your Information
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect the personal information we hold from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include limiting access to information to those members of our executive team with a legitimate organizational need.
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted to or through our website. We encourage you to use caution when transmitting personal information online and to use a secure network when submitting application materials.
In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights or interests, we will take appropriate steps to notify affected individuals and relevant authorities as required by applicable law.
08 — Your Rights
Your Rights Over Your Information
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have certain rights regarding the personal information we hold about you. These may include the right to:
- Access. Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Correction. Ask us to correct personal information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Deletion. Request that we delete your personal information, subject to our legitimate retention needs and applicable legal obligations.
- Objection. Object to certain types of processing of your personal information.
- Portability. In some circumstances, receive your personal information in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Withdraw consent. Where processing is based on your consent, withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@bioventures.cornell.edu. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.
We do not charge a fee for exercising your rights unless your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.09 — Minors
Information From Minors
Cornell BioVentures is a university student organization. Our website and membership program are directed at enrolled Cornell University students, who are generally 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 13 years of age.
If you are under 18 and have submitted personal information to us, or if you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@bioventures.cornell.edu so that we may take appropriate action.
10 — Third-Party Links
Links to Other Websites
Our website may contain links to external websites — including Cornell University pages, the Cornell Center for Technology Licensing, clinical trial registries, financial data providers, and other reference sources that may be relevant to our educational content.
These third-party websites have their own privacy policies and data practices, which we do not control. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of any external websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit through a link on our website.
A link from our website to a third-party site does not constitute an endorsement of that site, its content, or its privacy or security practices.
11 — Educational Disclaimer
Educational Purpose and Legal Status
Cornell BioVentures is an independent nonprofit corporation organized exclusively for educational purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. It is not a registered investment adviser, broker-dealer, investment fund, or financial institution of any kind.
Legal Notice
Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice, a solicitation to invest, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument. All investment analysis and portfolio activities described on this website are conducted solely as educational exercises. Past educational performance is not indicative of future results. All contributions to Cornell BioVentures are irrevocable charitable donations and are not investments. Members do not receive financial returns from any club activity.
The views and analyses expressed on this website are those of student members of Cornell BioVentures and do not represent the views of Cornell University, Weill Cornell Medicine, or any affiliated institution. Cornell University assumes no responsibility for the content of this website or the activities of Cornell BioVentures.
12 — Changes to This Policy
How We Update This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or organizational structure. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice through our website or direct communication to members or recent applicants.
Your continued use of our website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we handle your information.
Prior versions of this Privacy Policy are available upon request by contacting us at the address below.
13 — Contact
How to Reach US
If you have questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the personal information we hold, please contact us:
Organization
Cornell BioVentures
General
Address
Cornell University Ithaca, New York 14853
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days. For complex requests, we may require additional time and will notify you accordingly.