Privacy

What information does ASCE collect?

To better serve our members and customers, ASCE collects information that you provide to us, such as personal information you provide when purchasing a product or service, as well as information that is passively or automatically collected from you, such as anonymous information collected from your browser or device.

Information you provide

There are a number of areas in the ASCE digital properties where we ask for and collect information about you, including personally identifiable information. Examples of this information include:

• name, address, email, telephone number
• educational and professional experience information
• licensure and certification information
• demographic information, to the extent that it relates to an ASCE membership category (i.e., eligibility for Younger Member or Life Member categories) or is volunteered in connection with an ASCE membership activity (e.g., ASCE’s New Faces program) or anonymized aggregate report (e.g., career advancement surveys)
• technical and professional areas of interest
• security identifiers
• registration information for online and in-person ASCE activities
• product purchase information stored in online shopping carts
• other information you upload or provide to us

Information that is automatically collected

ASCE may use automated means to collect various types of information about you and your computer or other device. Such information might include, but is not limited to:

• network or Internet protocol address
• type of browser and operating system you are using, (e.g., Microsoft Windows or Mac OS)
• information about your Internet service provider
• information about the device you are using and device settings
• browser settings
• the web pages on the ASCE site you have visited
• location information
• content and advertisements you have accessed, seen, forwarded and/or clicked on

Personal data from minors

ASCE does not knowingly collect data from or about children under 16 without permission from a parent or guardian. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under age 16, please contact us.

How does ASCE use the information it collects?

ASCE may use the information it collects to:

1. provide the products or services you request, or to communicate with you about those products or services;
2. respond to your inquiries;
3. administer membership grade approvals, scholarship and award nominations, and certifications;
4. support your participation in ASCE as a committee member; author, reviewer or editor; conference moderator or speaker; organizational entity officer or director; or other volunteer;
5. communicate with you about other products or services that we believe may be of interest to you;
6. provide and administer online forums and social networks;
7. provide technical support for your use of the ASCE site or any ASCE product or service;
8. measure and improve the utility, applicability, and overall quality of the website and its content;
9. customize or personalize ads, offers and content made available to you based on your visits to and/or usage of ASCE’s digital properties, and analyze the performance of those ads, offers and content, as well as your interaction with them;
10. perform analysis regarding how you use ASCE’s digital properties or any part thereof;
11. perform aggregated data analysis of membership retention, engagement, and other trends;
12. enforce the legal terms (including without limitation our policies and terms of service) that govern your use of ASCE’s digital properties, and/or for the purposes for which you provided the information.

How will ASCE share or disclose this information?

ASCE organizational entity disclosures

Membership and customer information is used in the ASCE database, which is used to generate ASCE mailing lists and directories. Such mailing lists are provided to the technical and geographical units of ASCE (for example, Institutes and Sections) and to ASCE’s affiliated entities (e.g., ASCE Foundation), who may use this information in connection with informing you about their services, products, conferences, meetings and events. ASCE publishes directory information for its board and committee members, and for members of its technical and geographic organizational entities’ boards and committees. Such members may remove or change the information provided in such directories at any time, by contacting [email protected].

Third party disclosure

Except as noted below, ASCE does not sell, rent, or give email addresses or other personal information to anyone outside of ASCE and its organizational entities, except with prior consent from the member/customer. 

ASCE may disclose information provided by its members and customers, or collected from its website or other digital properties, with third parties as follows:

1. To service providers that we have retained to perform business activities in support of ASCE’s operations. This may include service providers that: (a) conduct research and analytics; (b) create content; (c) provide customer, technical or operational support; (d) conduct or support membership or marketing activities (such as election management activities, email or advertising platforms); (e) fulfill orders and user requests; (f) handle payments; (g) host our online communities, forums, and other online services; (i) maintain databases; (j) provide indexing and linkage of publication content or metadata; or (k) otherwise support our delivery of goods and services.
2. To ASCE's affinity program partners, solely for use in connection with promoting or administering ASCE's affinity programs.
3. In response to a legal request, for example, in response to a court order or subpoena, or a request from a law enforcement or government agency.
4. Disclosures to investigators, attorneys, or other third parties if, in our sole discretion, we believe such disclosure is necessary or appropriate to investigate allegations of fraud, intellectual property infringement, or other activity that is or may be illegal or may expose us, service or content providers we work with, or you to possible legal liability.

If you do not wish to receive physical mail from ASCE's affinity partners, research or analytics providers, or other third parties, you may instruct us not to share your information by indicating this preference on your membership application when you join ASCE, on your renewal form when you renew your membership, by notifying us at  [email protected], or by calling us at  1-800-548-2723 (ASCE) or for international calls,  +1(703) 295-6300.

How does ASCE Use cookies and similar technologies?

Cookies are small text files that may be stored on your computer, smart phone, tablet, or other digital device when you access an ASCE site. This information can be read by the ASCE site when you return to this site. ASCE uses cookies and similar technologies to speed up your future visits by storing preferences and log-in information you provide, and to support a better experience through tailored content. In addition, cookies provide statistical and other information to ASCE about how the website is used in order for ASCE to monitor access and use of the site, assess the effectiveness of particular content, and suggest areas for improvement.

While these cookies alone do not allow ASCE to personally identify visitors to the site, information collected by ASCE cookies may be used to streamline communications with members and customers by facilitating targeted content consistent with users’ email preferences and ASCE’s privacy policy.

Disabling cookies

Most web browsers are set up to accept cookies. You may be able to set your browser to warn you before accepting certain cookies or to refuse certain cookies. However, if you disable the use of cookies in your web browser, some features of the ASCE website may be difficult to use or inoperable.

ASCE may make use of certain third-party companies that use techniques other than HTTP cookies to recognize computers or devices used to access ASCE's digital properties and/or to collect and record information (in an anonymized and/or aggregated form) about the web surfing activity of visitors to ASCE's digital properties. Please keep in mind that your web browser may not permit you to block the use of these techniques, and those browser settings that block conventional cookies may have no effect on such techniques.

Links to other sites

Some ASCE digital properties contain links to or integrations with other services whose information practices may be different than ours, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, other media services and platforms, and third party organizations that provide ASCE member benefit programs. Visitors should consult these other services' privacy notices, as ASCE has no control over information that is submitted to, or collected by, these third parties.

How does ASCE handle and protect data?

International transfer

This website is governed by and operated in accordance with U.S. law. Information collected or submitted outside the United States will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where ASCE’s central databases reside.

Data security

ASCE has adopted data management and security procedures to help prevent unauthorized access, to maintain data security, and to use correctly the information we collect online. The details of these procedures vary based on the sensitivity and usage of the information collected. Although we take appropriate measures to safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of information, we cannot assure you that information will never be disclosed, altered or destroyed in a manner that is inconsistent with this Privacy Policy.

Data retention

ASCE only retains personal data collected from a user for as long as the user’s account is active, or as needed for ASCE to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, unless otherwise required by law.

How do I make changes or opt out?

You can change or update your personal data by logging into your ASCE account and profile at https://sp360.asce.org/PersonifyEbusiness/My-Account.aspx which is accessible from www.asce.org.

Email subscriptions can be modified clicking on Email Preferences Management to access the Email Preferences Center on which you have the option to adjust your email subscriptions or unsubscribe from all email communications. You can also provide Personal Data Consent and Email Consent on this page. You can also modify your telephone communication and physical mail preferences on the Preferences tab. 

Alternatively, you can contact ASCE Customer Service by phone at (800) 548-2723 (ASCE) or +1 (703) 295-6300 (International) to update your information.

European Union data rights

The European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation EU 2016/679) (also known as GDPR) provides certain rights related to data collection and usage for individuals covered under the regulation. To request information or seek other action from ASCE pursuant to those rights, please send an email to [email protected] with "GDPR Request" in the subject line. In the email please describe the specific GDPR right you are requesting assistance with.

Alternatively, you can contact ASCE Customer Service by phone at (800) 548-2723 (ASCE) or +1 (703) 295-6300 (International).

ASCE reserves the right to seek additional information prior to taking action upon the request, or to charge a fee with respect to certain requests. Upon completion of its review, ASCE will advise you whether your request has been granted or denied, or if exemptions apply.

California Consumer Privacy Act

While the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) does not directly apply to nonprofits such as ASCE, ASCE will make reasonable efforts to honor requests from CA consumers made pursuant to this Act. To request information or seek other action from ASCE pursuant to those rights, please send an email to  [email protected] with "CCPA Request" in the subject line. In the email please describe the specific CCPA right you are requesting assistance with. Alternatively, you can contact ASCE Customer Service by phone at  (800) 548-2723 (ASCE) or  +1 (703) 295-6300 (International).

Updates & effective date

From time to time, ASCE may update this Privacy Policy. If we make any material changes we will notify you by email if you have authorized ASCE to communicate with you by email, or by means of a notice published on this website prior to the effective date of the policy change. We encourage you to periodically check back and review this policy so that you always will know what information we collect, how we use it, and with whom we share it.

The Privacy Policy posted on this Service was updated on January 6, 2020.