Privacy Policies
APADS Privacy Policies
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Effective Date: September 9, 2026
Last Updated: September 9, 2026
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Association of Pan-African Doctoral Scholars, Inc. (“APADS,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to advancing the academic success and professional development of Pan-
African doctoral students and scholars. APADS is committed to protecting the privacy and
confidentiality of personal information entrusted to us. This Privacy Policy has been reviewed,
updated, and approved for implementation. It explains and outlines how we collect, use, store, and
protect personal data collected through our website at www.apadsorg.org, as well as associated digital
services, email newsletters, virtual meetings, member directories, and communications, in compliance
with California law, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA / CPRA), the CAN-SPAM
Act and applicable international privacy standards.
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What type of information do you collect?
We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked, directly or
indirectly, with a particular user or scholar (“Personal Data”) through www.apadsorg.org.
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A. Information You Provide Directly
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i. Contact & Demographic Details: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address,
institutional affiliation, academic field/discipline, and career stage submitted through forms on
ii. Mailing List & Communications Data: Email address, subscription preferences, and interest
categories selected when subscribing to our newsletter, joining our mailing list, or opting into
electronic communications.
iii. Membership & Registration Data: Application information, membership tier, event
registrations, webinar sign-ups, and subscription preferences submitted via the site.
iv. Financial Data: Payment card details and billing addresses submitted during membership
payment or donation checkouts (processed securely through third-party payment gateways; we
do not store full payment card numbers on our servers).
v. User Contributions: Submissions for presentations, academic papers, mentorship
applications, forum posts, or feedback forms.
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B. Member Directory Data
To foster collaboration, mentorship, and networking within the academic community, APADS offers
an optional online Member Directory accessible to verified members or through designated website
portals. When you elect to participate in the Member Directory, we collect and display:
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i. Professional Profile Details: Full name, title, academic institution or corporate employer,
academic discipline, research interests, biography, and professional profile photo.
ii. Directory Contact Preferences: Professional email address, institutional website link,
ORCID iD, LinkedIn profile URL, and optional social media links that you explicitly choose
to include in your public or internal directory profile.
iii. Directory Visibility Controls: Information regarding your selected directory privacy settings
(e.g., whether your profile is visible to the general public, restricted to active APADS members
only, or hidden entirely).
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C. Email Marketing & Engagement Data
When you receive emails, newsletters, or marketing communications from APADS, we (or our third-
party email service providers) may collect engagement data automatically, including:
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i. Email Metrics: Open rates, link click-through rates, bounce rates, and forward activity.
ii. Technical Details: IP address, email client type, device type, and location data derived from
email opens or link clicks.
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D. Virtual Meeting & Webinar Data (Zoom & Related Platforms)
When you register for or participate in APADS-hosted virtual meetings, webinars, workshops,
networking sessions, or conferences conducted via third-party video conferencing platforms (such as
Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet), we may collect:
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i. Participant Information: Display name, email address, phone number (if dialing in), and
profile picture.
ii. Meeting Interaction Data: Text chat logs, Q&A submissions, poll responses, breakout room
participation, and attendance logs.
iii. Recordings & Transcripts: Certain sessions (such as public webinars or academic lectures)
may be recorded for archival, educational, or promotional purposes. Attendees will receive
clear notice (e.g., visual/audio recording alerts on Zoom) prior to or upon joining a recorded
session. You may choose to disable your camera, mute your microphone, or leave the session
if you do not wish to be recorded.
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E. Information Collected Automatically
i. Device and Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages
viewed, and access times when you visit or interact with www.apadsorg.org.
ii. Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use essential and performance cookies on
www.apadsorg.org to enable website functionality, remember user preferences, and analyze
site traffic.
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How do you collect information?
When you conduct a transaction on our website, as part of the process, we collect personal
information you give us such as your name, address and email address. Your personal information
will be used for the specific reasons stated above only.
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Why do you collect such personal information?
We use your Personal Data collected through www.apadsorg.org, member directories, mailing lists,
and virtual events solely to support our organizational mission and operate our programs, including to:
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i. Manage and administer APADS memberships, user accounts, and website subscriptions.
ii. Facilitate academic collaboration, scholarly connections, and peer mentorship through the
APADS Member Directory.
iii. Send electronic newsletters, organizational announcements, academic call-for-papers, grant
opportunities, event invitations, and marketing communications.
iv. Organize, host, record, and distribute academic conferences, Zoom webinars, workshops, and
networking programs.
v. Process membership dues, donations, and event registration fees.
vi. Measure and analyze email campaign engagement to improve the content and relevance of our
communications.
vii. Maintain site performance, security, and integrity for www.apadsorg.org.
viii. Fulfill legal obligations and enforce our organizational policies.
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How we share your information
APADS does not sell, rent, trade, or lease our mailing lists, member directory data, or Personal Data
to third parties for monetary or commercial gain. We only share information under the following
limited circumstances:
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i. Service Providers & Virtual Platforms: Trusted third-party vendors who perform services
on our behalf, including website hosting (www.apadsorg.org), email marketing services,
payment processing, and virtual event platforms (such as Zoom, which processes video, audio,
and participant data under their respective privacy policies). These providers are contractually
required to maintain data security and use the data only for specified services.
ii. Program Partners & Co-Hosts: When you register on www.apadsorg.org for a co-sponsored
academic event or virtual session, relevant participant details may be shared with co-hosting
organizations as disclosed during registration.
iii. Public/Member Access to Recordings: Recorded webinars or educational sessions may be
made available to APADS members or published on www.apadsorg.org for educational
purposes, provided attendees were notified of the recording in advance.
iv. Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, court order, or governmental
regulation, or to protect the safety, rights, or property of APADS, our members, or the public.
California Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA)
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Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), you
have the right to:
i. Right to Know / Access: You have the right to request details about the categories and specific
pieces of Personal Data we have collected about you over the past 12 months.
ii. Right to Delete: You have the right to request the deletion of your Personal Data held by
APADS (including member directory profiles, email subscription records, virtual meeting
interaction logs, or recordings, where applicable), subject to certain legal exceptions.
iii. Right to Correct: You have the right to request corrections to inaccurate Personal Data
maintained about you.
iv. Right to Opt-Out of Sale or Sharing: APADS does not sell personal data or share it for cross-
context behavioral advertising.
v. Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you (e.g., deny services or
change membership rates) for exercising any of your privacy rights.
To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request via the contact methods listed below
Member Directory Disclosures & Privacy Controls
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A. Explicit Consent & Opt-In Participation
Inclusion in the APADS Member Directory is voluntary. Your profile information will only be
published in the Member Directory if you explicitly opt-in or complete the optional directory profile
fields during account registration or within your member portal settings on www.apadsorg.org.
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B. Directory Visibility & Audience Settings
APADS provides members with granular control over who can view their directory profile information.
Through your account settings on www.apadsorg.org, you may select:
i. Public Visibility: Profile is accessible to all visitors on www.apadsorg.org.
ii. Members-Only Visibility: Profile is restricted to logged-in, active APADS members.
iii. Hidden / Unlisted Status: Profile is excluded from all directory search results and directory
pages.
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C. Updating or Removing Your Directory Profile
You may update, edit, or remove your Member Directory information at any time:
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i. Self-Service: Log into your account on www.apadsorg.org and navigate to your Member
Profile settings to update or hide your information.
ii. Direct Request: Email apadshelpdesk@gmail.com. to request that your profile be updated or
removed from the directory. Requests will be processed within 5 business days.
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International Data Transfers
APADS is based in the United States, and www.apadsorg.org, as well as our primary cloud, database,
and email distribution servers, are hosted in the United States. If you visit our site, join our member
directory, subscribe to our mailing list, or join Zoom/virtual sessions from outside the U.S., please note
that your Personal Data may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the U.S. We take appropriate
technical and organizational safeguards to ensure your data receives adequate protection regardless of
where it is processed.
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Data Security and Retention
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i. Data Security: We maintain appropriate physical, technical, and administrative safeguards
designed to protect Personal Data collected via www.apadsorg.org, member directories,
mailing list software, and virtual meeting platforms against unauthorized access, disclosure,
alteration, or destruction.
ii. Data Retention: We retain your Personal Data (including member directory profiles, mailing
list records, event attendance logs, and session recordings) only as long as necessary to fulfill
the purposes for which it was collected, satisfy legal or accounting obligations, maintain active
subscription preferences, or fulfill archival educational purposes. Directory profile data is
removed immediately upon account deletion or directory opt-out.
Data Breach Notification Policy
APADS takes the protection of your personal data seriously. In the event of a security incident or
breach leading to the accidental, unauthorized, or unlawful acquisition, access, destruction, loss, or
disclosure of unencrypted Personal Data:
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i. Incident Investigation & Remediation: APADS will immediately take steps to contain the
security incident, conduct a thorough investigation, and implement necessary measures to
restore the integrity and security of our systems.
ii. Notice to Affected Individuals: If we determine that a data breach has occurred that poses a
significant risk of harm or is required to be disclosed under applicable law (including California
Civil Code § 1798.82 and international privacy standards), APADS will notify affected
individuals without unreasonable delay, typically via email or written letter.
iii. Content of Notice: The notification will clearly describe, to the extent known:
a. The nature of the breach and the categories of personal data involved.
b. The estimated time of the breach.
c. Actions taken by APADS to mitigate and remediate the breach.
d. Recommended measures affected individuals can take to protect themselves (e.g.,
changing credentials or monitoring accounts).
e. Contact details for APADS to receive further assistance.
i. Notice to Regulatory Authorities: APADS will notify applicable regulatory bodies, state
attorneys general, or supervisory authorities in accordance with statutory reporting timelines
and legal requirements.
Data Deletion Rights & Consent Withdrawal
APADS respects your ownership and control over your personal information. You have the explicit
right to withdraw your consent and request the deletion of your Personal Data at any time.
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A. Right to Withdraw Consent
Where our processing of your Personal Data is based on your prior consent (such as listing in the
Member Directory, subscribing to our newsletter, or agreeing to be recorded during virtual events),
you may withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of
any processing performed prior to the withdrawal.
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B. Requesting Account & Data Deletion
You may request that APADS permanently delete your profile, member directory listing, membership
account, and associated Personal Data from our active systems. To initiate a data deletion or consent
withdrawal request:
i. Email Request: Send an email to apadshelpdesk@gmail.com with the subject line “Data
Deletion Request” or “Consent Withdrawal”.
ii. Include Details: Please provide your full name, the email address associated with your
APADS account or mailing list subscription, and a brief description of the specific data or
account you wish to have removed.
C. Processing Timelines & Verification
i. Identity Verification: To protect your privacy and security, we may take reasonable steps to
verify your identity before processing a deletion or consent withdrawal request.
ii. Timeline: APADS will acknowledge receipt of your request within 10 business days and
respond to/fulfill verified deletion requests within 45 calendar days (or sooner where required
by applicable international laws).
D. Limitations & Exceptions to Deletion
In accordance with California and international privacy laws, APADS may retain certain limited
Personal Data even after a deletion request if necessary to:
i. Complete transactions for which the data was collected (e.g., processing an ongoing
membership term or event registration).
ii. Comply with statutory tax, accounting, audit, or legal obligation compliance requirements.
iii. Maintain internal operational logs necessary to detect security incidents or protect against
malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity.
iv. Preserve public academic archives or historical session recordings where explicitly agreed to
and where removal is technically unfeasible.
If an exception applies, APADS will inform you of the legal basis for retaining specific data points
while deleting all other requested personal information.
Payment Processing
Payments on our site are processed through Wix Payments (and its integrated payment partners). When
you make a purchase, your payment information such as your credit or debit card details, billing
address, and transaction amount is collected and processed directly by Wix.
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APADS does not store or process your complete financial or payment card details on our servers. All
transactions are encrypted and subject to Wix’s privacy policy and security standards. To learn more
about how Wix handles your payment information, please review the [Wix Privacy Policy]
(https://www.wix.com/about/privacy)
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Your Choices & Privacy Preferences
i. Member Directory Settings: Manage your visibility options or opt out of the directory in your
account profile on www.apadsorg.org.
ii. Mailing List Subscriptions: Use the "Unsubscribe" link in any promotional email or email to
apadshelpdesk@gmail.com to modify your email communication preferences.
iii. Virtual Event Participation: You may control your privacy during Zoom/virtual sessions by
muting your microphone, turning off your video camera, or choosing not to submit chat/Q&A
messages. If you do not wish to be recorded during a session that notifies you of recording,
you may leave the session.
iv. Cookie Settings: You can configure your browser settings to refuse cookies from
www.apadsorg.org or alert you when cookies are being sent
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
i. Types of Cookies We Use:
a. Essential cookies (necessary for Platform functionality)
b. Performance cookies (analytics and improvements)
c. Functional cookies (personalization)
d. Marketing cookies (targeted advertising)
ii. Cookie Management:
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect
Platform functionality.
iii. We use Google Analytics and similar tools for website analytics.
Mailing List & Email Marketing Disclosures
A. Subscription & Consent
By joining APADS as a member, registering for an event, or opting into our mailing list via
www.apadsorg.org, you consent to receiving electronic communications from us. We adhere to
applicable anti-spam laws, including the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act.
B. Third-Party Email Service Providers
We manage our mailing lists and email marketing campaigns using reputable third-party email
distribution platforms (such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or similar providers). These platforms
store subscriber email addresses and interaction data securely on our behalf. They are contractually
restricted from using your email address or personal data for any purpose other than facilitating
APADS communications.
C. Opt-Out & Unsubscribe Options
You can choose to stop receiving marketing or promotional communications from APADS at any time:
i. Unsubscribe Link: Every marketing or newsletter email sent by APADS includes an
automated, easy-to-use “Unsubscribe” or “Manage Preferences” link at the bottom of the
email.
ii. Direct Request: You may also contact us directly at apadshelpdesk@gmail.com. to request
removal from our email distribution lists.
iii. Updating your account preferences
Note: Even if you opt out of promotional communications, APADS reserves the right to send non-
promotional, transactional emails necessary to manage your active membership, respond to inquiries,
process payments, or provide critical regulatory updates.
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Third-Party Links
i. Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites.
ii. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites.
iii. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party sites.
Children's Privacy
i. Our Services are not directed to individuals under 13 years.
ii. We do not knowingly collect information from children.
iii. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
i. APADS may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our website practices,
legal requirements, or operational needs. Any updates will be posted on this page at
www.apadsorg.org with an updated “Last Revised” date.
ii. Material changes will be notified through:
a. Email notification
b. Prominent notice on our Platform
c. Updated "Last Updated" date
iii. Continued use of Services after changes constitutes acceptance.
Contact Information:
For any privacy inquiries or to exercise your data rights, contact our Data Protection desk:
Email: apadshelpdesk@gmail.com.
Website: www.apadsorg.org
Address: Association of Pan-African Doctoral Scholars, Inc., Los Angeles, C.A. 90009-9998.
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