Our Mission

The GW Privacy Office advances the university’s strategic commitment to operational excellence and transparency by fostering a culture of accountability and integrity in data protection and privacy compliance. Through principled governance and collaborative engagement, the office strengthens GW’s institutional foundation and upholds the trust that underpins our academic, research, and community endeavors.

The GW Privacy Office is responsible for establishing and maintaining the University’s privacy framework. Our core areas of responsibility include developing privacy policies and guidance, conducting privacy risk assessments, and managing data incident response activities. 

All members of the University community are individually responsible for complying with applicable privacy laws, regulations, and University policies relevant to their respective operational areas. Researchers seeking guidance on privacy matters related to research activities may contact the Privacy Office once their projects have been documented and reviewed by the Office of Human Research.

The GW Privacy Office oversees and supports unit-level privacy compliance efforts, with a primary focus on safeguarding the privacy and integrity of the personal data collected, created, stored, and transmitted by the University and its affiliates.

• We develop and promote policies, standards, and best practices to ensure the responsible handling and protection of personal information within the GW community.

• We collaborate with University stakeholders to implement core privacy principles and data protection requirements that safeguard sensitive information.

Members of the University community who have questions or concerns regarding privacy or data protection are encouraged to contact the Privacy Office for assistance.