Privacy

Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. values the relationship we have with our customers and visitors. We have created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate our respect for your privacy. The following discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices. Although this policy may seem long, we have prepared a detailed policy because we believe you should know as much as possible about Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.’s practices so that you can make an informed decision.

We suggest that you practice reasonable discretion with any site when providing personal information. Note also that whenever you post personal information in publicly accessible places, such as chat rooms or message boards, this information becomes available to anyone with access to the Internet. Therefore, we recommend that you refrain from posting any information you do not want seen in these public areas. You should feel free to contact any site that requests personal information from you if you have any questions regarding its policies.

What information does Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. collect?
At different times, Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. may collect five types of information about you.

First, we use a feature of your browser called a cookie to assign identification to your computer. The unique user ID contained within your cookie automatically identifies your computer - but not you - to our servers every time you visit our site. This allows us to “remember” information about your preferences and passwords and allows you to move within our Web Site without reintroducing yourself. Cookies also allow our third party web analytics service to measure the number of page views to our site. Cookies by themselves cannot be used to find out the identity of any user, but may be correlated with identity information in our log files. The help portion of toolbar on most browsers will tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or how to disable cookies altogether. However, turning off the cookies feature using your browser's preference options may limit your ability to utilize many of our features.

Second, we keep track of your IP address to help diagnose problems with our server and to administer our Web site. Your IP address (the address the Internet uses to identify your computer) is also used to gather broad demographic information about you, such as your location and your Internet service provider. Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. may also collect aggregate information on how our users are utilizing the site. This might include information regarding traffic patterns through the site and search queries.

Third, we log browser types, access times, URLs from which visitors came to our site and URLs viewed by visitors while on our site. Except as otherwise stated in this privacy policy, we do not provide this information to third parties, except in aggregate form.

Fourth, at specific times we may ask you to provide us with personal information in order for you to register for a service (e.g., to set up Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. Service). This information may include but is not limited to your name and email address. You may always choose not to provide us with this information; however, this may limit our ability to provide you with a specific service or to deliver personalized content.

Fifth, we may collect credit card information if you register for any paid services on our site, but it is not stored in any of our databases or servers. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to protect credit card transactions through encryption and the use of VeriSign Secure Internet Payment Services, although we cannot guarantee complete security. In order to complete a transaction, payment information may be transferred through one of our partners who process such information. Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. and its subsidiaries do not store any credit card numbers.

What organization is collecting the information?
Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. usually collects the requested information. However, Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. may have select partners with a need to utilize your information to deliver additional services you have requested. In order to use these services or areas, it may be necessary to enter information that then goes to our partner and is not kept by Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.. The areas of our sites in which partners are collecting information may be co-branded with our partners' logos.

Some of our content partners, as well as advertisers who display ads on our site, may use cookies. We do not control their use of cookies or have access to the information contained in or related to those cookies. Therefore, if you leave our site through a hyperlink, please be advised that we are no longer in control of the content you are exposed to.

What does Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. do with the data it collects?
Whenever Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. or its subsidiaries collects data, the data is intended to tailor or improve the experience of visitors to our site. From the data collected we can customize content and advertising based on the user's preferences. We analyze what our users prefer in order to improve Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.

We use information from a cookie (a feature of your browser used to assign identification to your computer) to count and track site visits in the aggregate, to personalize the site for each unique user, to control the frequency of individual advertisements directed to individual computers, and to target advertisements to broad demographic segments. We may also use information about your interests to display product information or specific content that we have determined may be of interest. Some broad statistical customer data is provided to our advertisers (e.g., percentage of males or females visiting the site), but specific personal information is not shared with our advertisers, except as otherwise stated in this privacy policy.

We use IP addresses to help diagnose problems with our server and to administer our Web sites. IP addresses may be disclosed to a third party if we believe in good faith that the law or legal process requires it, or to protect the rights or property of Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. or others.

When you register for unique services on our sites - such as to create an email account, we collect additional information from you in order to provide you with those specific services and to personalize your experience on the site. We may use such information to target our offerings or offerings of third parties that may be of interest to you and/or to analyze aggregate user data in order to improve our services.

On occasion we may email bulletins to provide you with information that we think you will find useful, including information about new products and services. We might also contact you to see if you are interested in participating in market research regarding Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc... Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. also may contact you by email to respond to customer-service complaints you have submitted, to address a problem affecting your use of the service or to verify your account information if you submit a password request.

With whom does Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. share data?
With your permission, Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. may disclose your personal information to our direct subsidiaries and/or business partners in order to provide you with the services you have requested. Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. does not have control over and is not responsible for the data collection and use practices of our business partners.

We also may disclose your personal information to a third party if we believe in good faith that the law or legal process requires it, to protect the rights or property of Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. or others, or as otherwise described in this privacy policy.

We may share aggregate demographic information with our advertisers.

What choices are available regarding collection, use and distribution of the information?
As previously noted, you may always choose to not provide us with any of the information we request; however, this may limit our ability to provide you with a specific service or limit our ability to offer personalized content. For example, Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.'s email registration form requests your contact information, demographic information (such as your age and gender) as well as information regarding your interests.

How can you update or correct your information?
Users of Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. web sites can review and modify their account or profile information on the site or alternatively by sending an email to stti@stti.iupui.edu.

How can you delete your information?
Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. currently does not have a method for completely deleting user information from our database. However, deleting the cookie stored on your computer will cause you to be perceived as a new user with no known user data. You may also change a setting in your browser, instructing it not to accept cookies, but this could prevent you from receiving some Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. services.

As a part of ongoing site maintenance, some information may be automatically deleted from our site after a certain period of time.

What procedures have been designed to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information under Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.'s control?
Except as otherwise stated in this privacy policy, Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. has taken measures intended to restrict access to information that is not publicly available through its sites, to the user who initially entered the information or to authorized personnel at Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. ,or its partners, and only after a password has been entered.

What about registration for Continuing Education Courses?
We may host continuing education courses for our registered users online. Enrollment for such courses is completely optional and at your discretion. When you register for continuing education courses you will be required to provide billing information exactly as it appears on your credit card statement so that we can process your order including your name, address, telephone number, credit card number and expiration date. The information you provide is used solely for the purpose of consummating your purchase and your credit card information will not be stored. We may record information about registration for continuing education courses to determine which courses appeal most to members of our group. This statistical information may help us to improve our product offerings.

What about privacy policies for sites linked to Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.?
Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. may contain links to other sites not affiliated with Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.. These sites have their own policies and practices with respect to online privacy, and Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. cannot be responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these Web sites. In addition, in certain instances a Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. advertiser may ask you for personal information. Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. cannot be responsible for the privacy practices of its advertisers.

Password and Security
If you choose to complete a profile, you will determine a password to be accompanied with your email address to complete the registration process. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the password and user I.D., and you are fully responsible for all activities that occur under your password or user I.D. You are to (a) immediately notify us of any unauthorized use of your password or user I.D. or any other breach of security by calling 1.888.634.7575 or e-mail to: memserv@stti.iupui.edu, and (b) ensure that you exit from your account at the end of each session. Upon being notified, Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. will initiate a process to investigate your claim. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your ID number, and you are fully responsible for all access to your personal data that is obtained via your ID number. We cannot and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with this section.

Rules of Conduct
We strive to provide the best user experience possible by ensuring that our site fosters interaction in a safe and respectful manner. However, we do not control the information posted on our bulletin board, chat rooms and other public areas (herein called Public Areas) and do not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such content. You understand that by using Public Areas you may be exposed to content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable You agree that you bear all risks associated with the use of any content, including any reliance on the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of such content. Under no circumstances will Sigma Theta Tau International or any of its subsidiaries be liable in any way for any content, including, but not limited to, any errors or omissions in any content, or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any content posted, emailed or otherwise transmitted via Public Areas. Certain behaviors will not be tolerated on our site, and by continuing to use our site, you are agreeing that you will not post any of the following material in our Public Areas:

  • Advertising or any form of commercial solicitation.
  • Material which is untrue or which defames, abuses, harasses or threatens others.
  • Statements that are bigoted, hateful, mean spirited, or ethnically or racially offensive.
  • Material that advocates illegal activity or discusses illegal activities with the intent to commit them.
  • Unauthorized copyrighted material, including, but not limited to, text, sound or graphic files.
  • Material that contains vulgar, obscene, pornographic, or indecent language or images.

You acknowledge that we do not pre-screen content. Any posted content solely represents the views of the user who posted it and does not represent the views of, validation by, or endorsement of Sigma Theta Tau International or any of its subsidiaries. We shall have the right, but not the obligation, in our sole discretion to refuse or remove any content that violates the above terms or is otherwise objectionable. Any user who posts objectionable material on our site will be responsible for all of our damages, direct or indirect, arising from such posting. In addition, depending on the nature and extent of the violation, we may, at our sole discretion terminate such user’s account.

Links
Our site may provide links to third party World Wide Web sites. Because we have no control over such third party site(s), you acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible for the availability of such external sites or resources, and do not endorse and are not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products, or other materials on or available from such sites or resources. You further acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with your use of or reliance on any such content, goods or services available on or through any such site.

License to Use Our Site
We grant you a personal, non-exclusive, non-assignable and non-transferable license to use and display the contents of and services on our site. Unauthorized copying or duplication of the contents in any manner including software that has been modified, merged or included on the site, or the written materials associated therewith is expressly forbidden. You acknowledge that you may not sublicense, transfer, sell or assign this license or the services received thereunder. Any attempt to sublicense, transfer, sell or assign this license is void.

Unauthorized access to registered areas of the site by non-registered users is prohibited.

Discussion Board Use
We offer a discussion board that permits posting opportunities for our registered users. Please see our Terms of Service before using the bulletin board and make sure to post only information that you are comfortable sharing.

Correspondence Requirements
You will be required to provide your e-mail address when you register for specific forms of communication such as an e-mail newsletter. The newsletter provides nurses with a variety of information on topics we believe would be of interest to you. Again, your name and e-mail address are not shared with any third parties. There may be other times when we request or acquire your e-mail address, such as when you send us an e-mail with questions or comments. We will use only your e-mail address to respond to e-mails from you, forward and send your e-mails to and from other registered users and internal Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. employees who may be able to respond to you, send information to you concerning your account, and inform you of updates to our Web site. We do not share e-mail addresses or any other personal information about our registered users with advertisers, business partners, sponsors or other third parties except to provide services you have requested.

Special Contests and Promotions
Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. will occasionally feature a contest/promotion for nurses. In order to enter the contest/promotion, we require you to provide us with your name, phone number and e-mail address so that we can contact you if you win. We also ask for other information that will help us reach nurses with our extensive site offerings. Your information will only be shared with third parties if you request to receive information from the provider parties.

Notification of Changes
Because our Web sites will continue to implement new technologies and improve the services and features we provide, this policy is subject to change. If there are changes or additions to this Privacy Policy, we will post those changes here or in other formats we deem acceptable, so that you will always know what information we collect online or offline, how we use it and what choices you have. If we change our information practices or this Privacy Policy in such a way that your personal information may be used or shared in a different manner, we will give you the choice to opt-out of having your past information used or shared in that new manner.

Reviews, Comments, Communications and Other Content
Users may post reviews, comments, and other content and submit suggestions, ideas, comments, questions, or other information, so long as the content meets our Rules of Conduct and does not consist of or contain software viruses, chain letters, mass mailings, or any form of "Spam." You may not use a false e-mail address, impersonate any person or entity, or otherwise mislead as to the origin of any statement or other content. Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. reserves the right (but not the obligation) to remove or edit such content, but does not regularly review posted content. If you do post content or submit material, and unless we indicate otherwise, you grant Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. and its affiliates a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sub-licensable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such content throughout the world in any media. You grant Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. and its affiliates and sub licensees the right to use the name that you submit in connection with such content, if they choose. You represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control all of the rights to the content that you post; that the content is accurate; that use of the content you supply does not violate this policy and will not cause injury to any person or entity; and that you will indemnify Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. or its affiliates for all claims resulting from content you supply. Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any content posted by you or any other third party.

 

Posting of Copyrighted or Objectionable Materials

Any posting of the following material is strictly prohibited:

Unauthorized copies of or links to any unauthorized use of copyrighted photographs, drawings, graphics, text or other writings, computer programs or other software, recordings or designs; files containing advertisements or solicitations aimed at persuading other members to use certain goods or services; any material or links to material of a sexually explicit nature, including photographs and text.

Copyrighted material, including without limitation text, photographs, sound, video and music, may not be placed on the site without the express permission of the author or owner of the copyright on the material. You acknowledge that only the owner or someone authorized by the owner to post the material may do so. The downloading of copyrighted material is allowed by you but only for your own personal use. You may not copy, reproduce, retransmit, distribute, publish, commercially exploit or otherwise transfer any copyrighted material. The burden of determining that any information, software or any other content on the site is not protected by copyright rests with you. You acknowledge that we and third party content providers remain the owners of the posted materials, and that you do not acquire any of those ownership rights by downloading or posting copyrighted materials. If you have questions about permissions issues, please email us at: stti@stti.iupui.edu

Copyright

Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. hereby authorizes you to copy documents published in the World Wide Web by Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. solely for your personal, non-commercial use, provided that each copy of these documents which you make shall retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as conferring by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any license or right under any patent or trademark of Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. or any third party. Except as expressly provided above, nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring any license or right under any Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. copyright.

This publication is provided "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MECHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so the above exclusion may not apply to you.

Should any viewer of a Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. published document respond with information including feedback data, such as questions, comments, suggestions, etc. regarding the content of any such Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. document, such information shall be deemed to be non-confidential and Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. shall have no obligation of any kind with respect to any such information and shall be free to reproduce, use, disclose, and distribute the information to others without limitation. Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. shall be free to use any ideas, concepts, know-how, or techniques contained in such information for any purpose whatsoever, including, but not limited to developing, manufacturing, and marketing products incorporating such information.

Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. respects the intellectual property of others, and we ask our users to do the same. If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, or your intellectual property rights have been otherwise violated, please provide Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.'s Copyright Agent the following information:

  • An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright or other intellectual property interest,
  • A description of the copyrighted work or other intellectual property that you claim has been infringed,
  • A description of where the material you claim is infringing is located on the site,
  • Your address, telephone number, and e-mail address,
  • A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law,
  • A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your Notice is accurate and that you are copyright or intellectual property owner or authorized to act on the copyright or intellectual property owner's behalf.

Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. Copyright Agent can be reached as follows:

Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.
Attention: Marketing and Communications
550 W. North Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND WARRANTY
YOU AGREE THAT USE OF OUR SITE IS ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. OUR SITE AND THE SERVICES PROVIDED THEREIN ARE PROVIDED "AS IS," WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY FOR INFORMATION, SERVICES, UNINTERRUPTED ACCESS, OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED THROUGH OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION OUR SOFTWARE OR SERVICES LICENSED TO YOU AND THE RESULTS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICE (UNLESS SUCH WARRANTIES ARE LEGALLY INCAPABLE OF EXCLUSION). SPECIFICALLY, WE DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION: 1) ANY WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY OR CONTENT OF INFORMATION, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES; AND 2) ANY WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

THIS DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY APPLIES TO ANY DAMAGES OR INJURY CAUSED BY ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DELETION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS, COMMUNICATION LINE FAILURE, THEFT OR DESTRUCTION OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO, ALTERATION OF, OR USE OF RECORD, WHETHER FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORTIOUS BEHAVIOR, NEGLIGENCE, OR UNDER ANY OTHER CAUSE OF ACTION. YOU SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR THE DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF OTHER USERS OR THIRD-PARTIES AND THAT THE RISK OF INJURY FROM THE FOREGOING RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU.

OUR ENTIRE LIABILITY AND YOUR EXCLUSIVE REMEDY WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF OUR SERVICES IS THE CANCELLATION OF YOUR REGISTRATION WITH US.

NEITHER WE NOR ANY OF OUR AGENTS, AFFILIATES, C0-BRANDERS, PARTNERS OR CONTENT PROVIDERS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS, OR SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF USE OF THE SITE OR INABILITY TO GAIN ACCESS TO OR USE THE SITE OR OUT OF ANY BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ALL CONTENT AND SERVICES ON THE SITE.

Service Marks and Trademarks

Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. is a trademark of Sigma Theta Tau International. Any other service marks or trademarks appearing on the site are service marks or trademarks of their respective owners. You shall not display, disparage, dilute, or taint our service mark or use any confusingly similar marks or use our mark in such a way that would misrepresent who the proper owner of such marks is. You shall not use the trademark Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. without the express written consent of Sigma Theta Tau International. If you are granted permission to use our Service Mark, any use of our service mark by you shall inure to our benefit.

Notice
We may give notice to you by means of a general notice on the site or via electronic mail to your email address on record. You may give notice to us, and such notice shall be deemed given when received by us, at any time by any of the following:

Electronic mail to: stti@stti.iupui.edu

Letter delivered by first class postage prepaid mail to the following address:

Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc.
Attention: Constituent Service Center
550 W. North Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Indemnification
Upon our request, you agree to defend, indemnify and hold Sigma Theta Tau International harmless from any dispute which may arise from your breach of the terms of this agreement. You agree to hold Sigma Theta Tau International and our affiliates, employees, contractors, officers, directors, co-branders, partners and content providers harmless from any and all claims and expenses, including attorney's fees and court costs, related to your violation of this agreement, including the rules of conduct, or any information, software, files, messages or other content placed on our site by you. We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you. In that event, you shall have no further obligation to provide indemnification to us in that matter.

We may terminate your account or access rights to the site at any time, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates this agreement or other policies or guidelines that we have posted on our site.

Your Acceptance of These Terms
By using this site, you signify your assent to the Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. terms of use and privacy policy. If you do not agree with these terms and our privacy policy, please refrain from using our site. Your continued use of the Sigma Theta Tau International, Inc. site following a reasonable notice of changes to our privacy policy or terms of use will mean you accept the changes.