Beth Bandy Research & Consulting

Tag: Alumni

  • Reaching alumni across China’s “Great Firewall”

    Reaching alumni across China’s “Great Firewall”

    Earlier this month, word got out that Google is developing a censored version of its search engine for use in China. Why?

    Google has been out of the China market for several years, and the websites for is products are currently blocked there. Not only is the company’s current search offering inaccessible in the country, so are other services provided by Google, like Gmail and YouTube.

    Google is not alone. Other sites like Facebook and Instagram also are blocked in China through a group of tools known as “the Great Firewall.”

    Does your institution use these services to connect with alumni and parents around the world? If so, you may not be reaching your constituents in China.

    There are workarounds that can help Chinese users to stay connected with US institutions without too much difficulty. Some schools, colleges, and universities here in the United States have started offering their Chinese constituents help accessing online campus materials. They offer instructions for using VPNs (virtual private networks), set up email accounts that will work in China, and provide content through video sharing and social media platforms that are based and accessible in China.

    What does your institution do to connect with alumni and parents in China?

     

    Photo: “谷歌中国總部” by Fan Yang

  • Your database and international data

    Your database and international data

    I am researching how different advancement databases handle international constituent data, like addresses and names.  To help with my research, would you please let me know which database you use by filling out the short form below? I will send a summary of my findings to everyone who participates in this brief survey.

    Thank you!

    Beth

  • Is your US-based institution ready for the EU General Data Protection Regulation?

    Is your US-based institution ready for the EU General Data Protection Regulation?

    “The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)… was designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy and to reshape the way organizations across the region approach data privacy.” [Source]

    This regulation was approved two years ago and goes into effect on May 25, 2018. That’s a little over 81 days from today, as a clock on the GDPR website points out.

    Even if your organization is based outside of the EU, it still could be subject to compliance with GDPR, which

    “applies to all companies processing and holding the personal data of data subjects residing in the European Union, regardless of the company’s location.” [Source]

    By “personal data,” the regulation means

    “anything from a name, a photo, an email address, bank details, posts on social networking websites, medical information, or a computer IP address”

    – that is, any detail “that can be used to directly or indirectly identify [a] person.” [Source]

    Organizations that are not in compliance with the GDPR by this date will face significant fines – as in, “up to 4% of annual global turnover” or €20 million (US$24.6 million).

    If you work for an institution or company that has not started looking at GDPR compliance issues, here are some resources to help you get started:

    The EU GDPR website

    EU Data Protection Law Looms | Inside Higher Ed

    What is personally identifiable information (PII)? How to protect it under GDPR | CSO

    The General Data Protection Regulation: A Primer for U.S.-Based Organizations That Handle EU Personal Data | Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement at New York University School of Law