Legal
Privacy Policy
Effective July 14, 2026. This policy explains how RUET Alumni Association, USA collects, uses, discloses, retains, and protects information through its website and member services.
Scope and effective date
This Privacy Policy applies to the RUETIAN USA website, accounts, membership services, chapters, events, communications, contact forms, and related online services (collectively, the “Services”). RUETIAN USA is the organization responsible for the information described here. By using the Services, you acknowledge this Policy. If you do not agree with these practices, do not provide personal information or use an account-based Service.
Information you provide
We collect information you provide when you create or update an account, including your name, email address, optional phone number, RUET department or program, graduation year, alumni reference, city, state, country, employer or professional title, primary chapter, and communication preferences. We also collect information in chapter requests, event registrations and waitlists, contact inquiries, profile changes, newsletter preferences, and other submissions. Passwords are processed through the authentication system and are not available to administrators in readable form. If you choose Google sign-in, we receive the account identifier and profile information Google makes available for authentication.
Membership, event, and Zelle records
We maintain membership applications, terms, status history, renewal and reactivation records, event registrations, attendance quantity, waitlist activity, promotions, chapter attribution, order amounts, and payment decisions. For Zelle payments, we collect the transaction ID, uploaded screenshot or PDF, submitted amount, submission time, review result, reviewer role, and any rejection reason. Payment proof may contain information visible in the file you choose to upload. We do not ask for or store your online-banking password, debit-card number, or bank-account credentials, and the website does not initiate a debit from your account.
Technical information and cookies
The Services process ordinary request and device information needed to operate and secure the website, which may include IP address, browser or device characteristics, requested pages, timestamps, error information, and rate-limit or security events. We use authentication and security cookies for signed-in sessions and Google sign-in state. As of the effective date, the website does not use advertising cookies or behavioral-advertising trackers. If analytics or materially different cookies are introduced, this Policy and any required consent controls must be updated before use.
How we use information
We use information to create and secure accounts; verify identity and alumni/member information; provide profiles, membership, chapter, event, waitlist, payment-review, reporting, and communication functions; calculate prices and promotions; send required security, transaction, renewal, waitlist, and service messages; send optional announcements or newsletters according to preferences; respond to inquiries; prevent fraud and abuse; diagnose errors; maintain records; enforce our agreements; comply with law; and improve the Services. Authorized reports may use aggregated membership, chapter, event, promotion, and revenue information.
How we disclose information
We disclose information only as reasonably necessary: to authorized RUETIAN USA volunteers, chapter administrators, administrators, and service personnel whose roles require it; to vendors supporting hosting, databases, storage, email delivery, security, and similar operations under appropriate obligations; to Google when you elect Google authentication; to comply with legal process, protect rights or safety, investigate misuse, or enforce agreements; and in connection with an organizational restructuring or transfer, subject to applicable law. Chapter administrators receive only information within their assigned operational scope. We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not disclose it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Zelle and other third-party services
A Zelle transfer is initiated separately through your bank or credit union, not through this website. RUETIAN USA receives the transfer through its configured recipient account and receives only the information made available through that payment relationship and the proof you submit here. Zelle, Google, email providers, linked websites, and financial institutions operate under their own privacy terms. RUETIAN USA is not responsible for those independent privacy practices.
Your choices and privacy requests
You can review and update eligible profile fields and communication preferences from account settings. Required account-security and transaction messages may still be sent when needed to provide the Services. You may request access, correction, deletion, or other privacy action by contacting info@ruetianusa.org. We may verify your identity, ask for information needed to locate the records, deny or limit a request where permitted by law, and retain information that must or may lawfully be preserved. Residents of a jurisdiction with additional privacy rights may exercise those rights through the same contact.
Retention and account deletion
We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, including providing the Services, maintaining membership and event history, resolving disputes, preventing fraud, enforcing agreements, and meeting legal, tax, accounting, and audit obligations. Retention varies by record type and operational need. Self-service account deletion disables the account and anonymizes eligible profile and authentication information. Financial, membership, registration, payment-proof, delivery, workflow, and audit records may be retained after account deletion where reasonably necessary, with direct identifiers removed or restricted when appropriate.
Security
We use administrative, technical, and access-control measures designed to protect information, including role- and chapter-scoped access, private payment-proof storage, session controls, validation, rate limiting, and audit records. No website, transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. You are responsible for protecting your credentials, using a unique password, signing out on shared devices, and promptly notifying us of suspected account misuse.
Children and international use
The Services are intended for adults and are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information online from a child under 13. If you believe a child has provided information, contact us so we can review and take appropriate action. RUETIAN USA operates its online Services in the United States. If you access them from another country, your information may be processed and stored in the United States, where privacy laws may differ.
Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy when the Services, practices, or legal requirements change. The revised version will show a new effective or last-updated date. When required by law or appropriate for a material change, we will provide additional notice or request renewed acknowledgement. Earlier transaction and acceptance records may continue to identify the policy version that applied when they were created.
Privacy contact
For privacy questions or requests, contact RUETIAN USA at info@ruetianusa.org. Include “Privacy Request” in the subject line and describe the account or record involved. Do not send passwords, bank credentials, or unnecessary sensitive information by email.