Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
FOI #24-238 - Subject - Learning Management Systems
Name - Michael Bzdyra
Affiliation -
Pursuant to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). C.G.S. § 1-200, et seq., I am requesting that you make available a copy of the Agreement(s) for a Learning Management System(s) that are currently in effect at the University, or that you otherwise make those agreement(s) available for inspection and copying, including contract starting, ending, and optional extension dates and contract pricing. This request includes but is not limited to any agreement(s) between the University and Blackboard (or Anthology).
FOI #24-237 (05-8-24, 8:51 am) - Subject - Fastenal Contract
Name - Michael Boyle
Affiliation - University of Massachusetts
Hello- I would like to request a copy of the Fastenal MRO contract. UMass is exploring moving to a similar model and it would be helpful to see how UConn has structured their agreement as a starting point.
Thanks!
Mike Boyle
Category Manager
FOI #24-236 (05-7-24, 3:12 pm) - Subject - President Radenka Maric's emails
Name - Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
Affiliation - The Appeal
My name is Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg and I'm a reporter for The Appeal. Under the state's public information law, I am requesting the following public records:
Emails to and from President Radenka Maric between April 26 and May 1, 2024, that include any of the following phrases: “Gaza,” or “encampment,” or “Israel,” or "protest," or "liberated zone."
If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me if the cost will exceed $0. However, I would also like to request a waiver of all fees in that the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest.
I am a representative of the news media and my request is related to news gathering purposes. This information is not being sought for commercial purposes. If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of the appeal procedures available to me under the law. Thank you for considering my request.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg
Senior Reporter, The Appeal
We are looking for your most recent RFP documentation, contract and purchase order for your student information system vendor and student housing software vendor.
Student Information System Example
Your campus is using a student information system from a vendor that may be under one of the following: Ellucian (Banner, Colleague, PowerCampus), Oracle Peoplesoft, Anthology, Jenzabar or Workday. We are looking for the RFP proposal that your current SIS vendor submitted (or proposal leading to a sole source) and the most recent signed contract, outlining the price and the features/modules included.
Housing Software Example
Your campus already uses a student housing software product that is separate from the student information system. This space has undergone some consolidation so the name may be under one of the following, StarRez, Adirondack, Mercury, Residential Management Systems or EzRezLife. We are looking for the RFP proposal that your current student housing vendor submitted (or proposal leading to a sole source) and the most recent signed contract, outlining the price and the features/modules included.
FOI #24-233 - Subject - Football Coaches Contracts
Name - Garth Webster
Affiliation -
I am requesting an opportunity to obtain copies of the following public records: the most updated employment agreements, all subsequent amendments, any applicable Term Sheet/MOU/LOA/Offer Letter/etc, and 2024 salary data for UCONN staff members Doug Shearer, Nick Charlton, Matt Brock, Kenny McClendon, John Marinelli, Siriki Diabate, Gordon Sammis, Dalton Hilliard, Kashif Moore, and Curtis Wilcox.
I would like to request a list of the sponsor names. Kindly include sponsorship details (title of project, department, office, etc.) and funding amounts ($) that make up the “Nongovernmental grants and contracts” group under “Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in Net Position” on your University Financial Report for the Year 2023.
FOI #24-231 (05-3-24, 1:51 pm) - Subject - Foia request for information pertaining to complaints or inquiries about Cathleen Hammel
Name - Paul Manocchio
Affiliation -
I am requesting all communications regarding any inquiry or complaint or investigation pertaining to Cathleen Hammel of The NEAG department
As well as salary. Job abilities, and job description, run down of day to day job functions.
FOI #24-230 - Subject - Connecticut Freedom of Information Act Request: Protest surveillance
Name - Caroline Haskins
Affiliation -
Pursuant to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
* Any risk assessments or incident response plans produced by the university between October 7, 2023 and the time that this request is processed that mention any of the following words: "protests," "demonstrations," "picketing," "occupation," "camp," "encampment," "Israel," "Gaza," or "Palestine."
* Any reports or logs about surveillance activities on pro-Palestine or pro-Israel student protesters produced by the university, university police, or local police . These may include written reports based on CCTV camera footage, reports of relevant social media posts, plans for future surveillance, etc.
* Any agreements (including informal, not-signed agreements that would take place over email) or memoranda between the university or university police and local police between October 7, 2023 and the time that this request is processed.
FOI #24-229 (05-2-24, 4:51 pm) - Subject - Landscaping Contracts
Name - Clare King'oo
Affiliation - UConn
I request copies of any and all landscaping contracts between the University of Connecticut and external contractors (including EA Quinn) from January 2021 through the present (May 2024). Please include both line-item budgets and total amounts invoiced to the University.