Privacy, Security, and Customer Service

Online Privacy
Online privacy is important to us. As such, it is the policy of American Public University System and its members, American Public University (“APU”) and American Military University (“AMU”) (collectively, “APUS,” “we,” “our” or “us”), to collect and retain personal information only as appropriate in the course of providing information and services to our website visitors. This privacy policy describes our online collection and use of personal information about you at our websites. You are visiting one of our websites if they link to this Privacy Policy.

Consistent with this policy, APUS collects information in the following ways:

How Information is Used

Information you voluntarily submit to us is used to assist in providing information or services requested by the user. Information may be shared with governmental and nongovernmental agencies that regulate our activities, including but not limited to the U.S. Department of Education, The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, agencies of the state of West Virginia, other state agencies, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, other federal agencies, and/or the various military service branches.  APUS may also use the information submitted to inform you of products or services from us or others that may be of interest to you or to send you newsletters or other content that may be of interest.

APUS may also provide personal information or information automatically collected as required to comply with a court-ordered subpoena or law enforcement investigation.  We may also use or share personal information to prevent fraud, including the unauthorized use of our websites or our services or violations of applicable policies and the Terms of Use.

As described in the “Cookies and Automatically Collected Information” section above, information collected automatically is used for internal statistical purposes, to make improvements to our websites, and for other business-related reasons, such as marketing activities. 

APUS does not sell or rent any personal information submitted by users of our websites to any third party. 

We may share information with affiliates and service providers in furtherance of providing the information or services you have requested and for our website operations and other business- related reasons.

In addition, APUS may, in the future, decide to sell, merge or otherwise reorganize its business or assets. APUS reserves the right to transfer and disclose personal information in these circumstances to an entity acquiring the company or relevant assets.

Finally, we may also share de-identified aggregate information with third parties and advertisers so they can measure the effectiveness of any advertisements viewed in connection with our websites.  For example, we may tell advertisers the number of users who clicked on a particular advertisement.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Annual Notification to Students
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, requires certain educational institutions, including APUS, to establish and publish a written institutional policy regarding student privacy rights under FERPA. The law provides that except in limited circumstances the institution must not disclose, without appropriate consent, the education records of its students.  For more information, please visit  www.apu.apus.edu/student-record/ferpa.htm.

Security
As part of APUS's commitment to maintaining reasonable security, the organization has adopted the Core Set of Principles developed by the Corporate Governance Task Force on Information Security Governance. Details on Information Security Governance can be found at http://www.cyberpartnership.org/

APUS websites use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol for financial transactions and where personal information is submitted. APUS is in compliance with Visa's Cardholder Information Security Program (CISP).

Non-U.S. Website Users
By creating an account or logging-in to our websites from outside the United States, you will have agreed to the terms of this Privacy Policy and the Terms of Use.  Your personal information and other information will be sent directly to the United States for processing where data protection and privacy regulations may be different than other parts of the world, such as the European Union, and which may not offer an equivalent level of protection to that in the European Union or certain other countries. 

Customer Service and how to Acquire Additional Information 
APUS is committed to providing every user -- including students, applicants, and other persons who contact APUS -- with prompt, high-quality support at all times. Email is the primary form of contact for users, including APUS students, and the institution encourages you to email us with questions, comments and concerns.  You may also contact us by telephone. AMU and APU each have a contact page listing essential email addresses, telephone numbers and fax numbers.