Last Updated: May 27, 2026
Miami Dade College (“MDC”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy describes how your personal data is protected when you opt-in to and use the MDC LMS SMS Notifications program (facilitated via the Ask LUCY chatbot within the Canvas LMS), and the rights you have as a User.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the main Miami Dade College Privacy Policy (available at https://www.mdc.edu/privacy).
We collect only information that is required on a legal, educational, or contractual basis for the smooth functioning of our services. When you interact with the MDC LMS SMS Notifications program, we collect:
● Communication Information: Your mobile phone number, provided voluntarily by you during the opt-in process.
● Consent Records: A timestamp and IP address log recording your explicit consent to receive SMS text messages.
● SMS Message History: Logs of SMS sent, delivered, and any replies you send (such as “HELP” or “STOP”) for auditing, troubleshooting, and support tracking.
We process your Personal Data because (a) it is necessary to facilitate your academic success and (b) you have given us explicit permission to do so. We use your mobile number to send recurring automated SMS messages regarding:
● Assignment deadlines and reminders
● Important announcements from instructors
● Grade updates, feedback notifications, and tutoring alerts
AI Safety & FERPA Compliance: We act strictly in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as a “School Official” with a “legitimate educational interest.” Your student data and phone number are never used to train or fine-tune public Large Language Models (LLMs).
We respect your privacy and do the same for your exclusive rights under privacy protection laws. We do not sell or rent any of your personal information.
Mobile information and SMS text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Your mobile number and consent data will only be shared with our authorized direct service providers (such as our SMS gateway provider and LMS integration partner, LearningMate) strictly for the purpose of routing and delivering the academic SMSes you requested. These providers are bound by strict confidentiality agreements, utilize PII (Personally Identifiable Information) masking, and are prohibited from using your data for any other purpose.
MDC may disclose your personal data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) comply with a legal obligation, (b) protect and defend the rights or property of the College, or (c) prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service.
The information we have about our students is protected and secure, and we work diligently to ensure that preferences regarding the use of your information are honored. We apply strict controls to protect your data:
Security and Prevention Controls (SPC):
● Encryption: Data is encrypted at rest (in databases) and in transit (via API calls) using AES-256 encryption.
● Access Control: Access to student data is governed by strict Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and mandatory Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
Privacy Protection Controls (PPC):
● Isolation & Minimization: Your data is kept logically separated using a multi-tenant architecture. We only store necessary fields, explicitly excluding sensitive data.
● Data Classification & Retention: Automated scripts are in place to purge student SMS data periodically in alignment with Miami Dade College’s institutional data retention schedules and at the conclusion of the program.
Your participation in this program is completely voluntary. We respect your privacy and exclusive rights. Opting out of SMS notifications will not impact your ability to use Canvas LMS or access core educational services.
● To Opt-Out: You can withdraw your consent and cancel SMS notifications at any time by replying STOP to any SMS text message you receive from us. Upon receiving your “STOP” message, our system will immediately update your consent status to “FALSE” and send one final confirmation SMS. No further SMS will be sent unless you explicitly re-subscribe.
● For Assistance: If you need help with the messaging program, reply HELP to any of our text messages. Message and data rates may apply.
If you communicate with us, we will use your information to respond to you and improve our service. For assistance regarding the MDC LMS SMS Notifications program or to exercise your privacy rights, please contact student support:
● Email: [email protected]
● Phone: 305-237-3800
● Or, visit our Online Helpdesk
We may update this MDC LMS SMS Notifications Program Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in regulatory requirements, carrier compliance, or program features. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.
Miami Dade College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution which does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, marital status, age, religion, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, ethnicity, pregnancy, sexual orientation or genetic information. To obtain more information about the College’s equal access and equal opportunity policies, procedures and practices, please contact the College’s Civil Rights Compliance Officer: Cindy Lau Evans, Director, Equal Opportunity Programs/ ADA Coordinator/ Title IX Coordinator, at (305) 237-2577 (Voice) or 711 (Relay Service). 11011 SW 104 St., Room 1102-01; Miami, FL 33176. [email protected]
