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University Information

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: November 10, 2026

Anchor Christian University (“we”, “our”, or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you interact with us, including through our website and SMS messaging services.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

a. Personal Information: Your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, organization, program or partnership interest, and information you provide in an inquiry. For transcript review, we collect the schools you attended and the academic documents you upload. Faculty applications may include education and employment history, church affiliation, statements about qualifications and beliefs, references and their contact information, and CV or resume files. Please provide only information relevant to your request and omit Social Security numbers and unrelated identification documents.

b. Usage Information: IP address, Browser type and version, Device information, Date and time of access, Pages visited, Referral source.

c. SMS Communications: When you opt in to our SMS services, we collect and store your mobile number and any interactions you have with our messaging program, including keywords like STOP or HELP .

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

a. Provide and maintain our services

b. Send appointment reminders and confirmations

c. Respond to support requests and customer inquiries

d. Improve our website and service offerings

e. Send account and transaction updates, and optional program or partnership email updates according to the preference you submit.

f. Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.

Optional Email Updates

Prospective-student and ministry-partner inquiry forms offer an optional email-updates checkbox that starts selected. You may uncheck it and still submit your inquiry and receive a reply. ACU records the submitted preference with the inquiry. A checked email-updates box does not authorize SMS messages or replace separate consent required for another communication service.

To stop optional email updates, use the unsubscribe method in the message or contact info@anchoru.com. Opting out of updates does not prevent necessary replies to your requests or communications about an existing student or employment relationship.

3. SMS Messaging

When you opt in to receive SMS messages, you consent to receiving texts related to your interactions with Anchor Christian University, such as confirmations, reminders, and service updates. You may opt out at any time by texting STOP. For support, reply with HELP or contact us at info@anchoru.com.

Standard message and data rates may apply.

4. Information Sharing

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

  • Service Providers: We use providers to operate the website and process requests. These include Netlify for website hosting and form processing, Cloudflare Turnstile for spam protection, Resend for email delivery, Populi for student records, applications and giving, and Google services for appointment scheduling and university HR records. These providers process information for the services you use and may retain service records or backups under their applicable settings and policies.
  • Legal Compliance: When required to comply with a legal obligation, court order, or law enforcement request.
  • Business Transfers: In connection with a merger or acquisition of all or part of the organization.

Authorized University Review

Admissions staff may review their office’s inquiries and documents. Registrar staff may review their office’s transcript and faculty-application submissions. ACU’s Super Admin may review submissions across these functions. These roles may forward documents to authorized @anchoru.com recipients as needed for university work; an ACU email address alone does not grant access to every record. Student-record disclosures remain subject to the catalog policy and its legitimate-educational-interest requirements.

5. Data Security

We use access controls and technical safeguards appropriate to the services involved. Website upload handlers process documents for delivery and do not create public document links or a website document repository. Submitted applications and attachments are delivered through Resend to designated university mailboxes, where copies exist. ACU staff must not store student records in personal email accounts or on personal devices. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

Record Storage and Retention

After review, official student documents are placed in Populi under the relevant student’s account. Faculty applications and attachments are delivered to the Registrar by email, then authorized staff move them into university-controlled Google Drive storage. Documents for hired faculty are maintained in the university’s HR folder. Access is limited to authorized staff.

The catalog’s Student Privacy & Records policy governs student education records: academic transcripts are kept permanently; other student records are kept for at least five years after last enrollment and then securely deleted; complaint records are kept for six years from filing. Records needed for pending proceedings are retained for as long as needed to complete those proceedings.

Prospective-student and partner inquiries, and preliminary documents from people who do not enroll, are retained for one year from receipt. If a submission becomes part of an enrolled student’s official record, the student-record policy applies. Required retention and pending proceedings may extend these periods.

Faculty applications and CVs for candidates who are not hired are retained for one year from receipt. Documents for hired faculty become part of the university’s HR records. Required retention and pending proceedings may extend the period for keeping a record.

The responsible university office manages retention and deletion of working copies, including forwarded email attachments and authorized downloads, as well as the official record. Moving a document into Populi or the HR folder does not automatically remove its email copies. Provider logs and backups follow the applicable service settings and policies; deleting an active record does not promise immediate removal from every backup.

6. Your Rights & Choices

You may request access to your information, request correction or deletion, and change your communication preferences. Deletion requests are reviewed in light of the applicable records policy, required retention and pending proceedings; some records, including official academic transcripts, are retained permanently.

Contact info@anchoru.com to make a privacy request. The Admin Office owns this process and coordinates with the relevant office. Student education-record access, amendment and disclosure requests are handled by the Registrar under the catalog’s Student Privacy & Records policy.

7. Third-Party Links

Our website or services may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without parental consent.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Effective Date” above. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us: