This COVID-19 Privacy Notice is intended for students, faculty, staff, visiting researchers with appointment letters, and others who are authorized to be physically present on Northeastern campuses or participating in university programs off campus, and shall apply until the University withdraws it or issues a superseding Notice. This Notice supplements Northeastern’s general Privacy Notice.
In light of the coronavirus pandemic, and to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, the university has implemented protocols to support the safety of our campuses and the wellness of Northeastern’s campus community.
The CDC recommends that employers should establish ongoing protocols such as having sick individuals stay home and establishing routine, daily employee health checks. The CDC also recommends that organizations establish communications with state and local health authorities to report positive or presumptive positive COVID-19 tests.
Accordingly, until further notice Northeastern and/or its designated partners will or may request and collect personal, health and physiological information from individuals who will be present on campus or participating in university activities at off campus locations, and may use or disclose the information only as indicated below.
The categories of information the university will or may collect in connection with efforts to reduce the risk of COVID-19 are: health data related to COVID-19 diagnosis or symptoms, including COVID-19 test results, body temperature, and reported or observable symptoms that could indicate COVID-19; and exposure and proximity information, including whether an individual has had contact with anyone who has a presumed or diagnosed case of COVID-19.
The university may process the information it collects for the purpose of managing the COVID-19 risks to the university community. The university will treat and maintain all such information as confidential and will comply with applicable state, local and federal laws in the handling and disclosure of this information. Any information provided to Northeastern, including information related to symptoms of COVID-19, such as temperature screening, or a diagnosis of COVID-19, including test results, will be stored in an access-restricted system, and only used for purposes related to COVID-19 response and spread prevention, including testing and contact tracing, unless the university obtains your additional consent to use the data for other purposes, such as potential research studies. Northeastern will disclose information related to COVID-19 to health authorities, and potentially others as required by law, regulation, court order, or administrative order.
The university will encrypt and anonymize such information to the extent possible.
If you have any questions or comments about this notice, the ways in which Northeastern collects and uses your information, please contact the Office of Student Affairs (for students) at svcstudentaffairs@northeastern.edu. For all other questions about data privacy you may contact privacy@northeastern.edu.