Local-first, with clear handoffs

Privacy

Most semester-planning work stays in your browser. Information leaves your device only when you submit a contact form or choose an outside service.

Effective September 14, 2026 · reviewed September 14, 2026 · responsible role: Future of STEM site team

1. 01No Future of STEM accountThe public tools do not require a Future of STEM login, password, or student profile. Optional outside services may require their own account or sign-in; that does not create a Future of STEM account.
2. 02Semester Setup files go directly to ChatGPTSemester Setup does not accept uploads of your schedule, syllabi or completed workbooks. You download the original templates here and attach your materials directly in ChatGPT. Future of STEM does not receive or store those documents through this tool.
3. 03Semester Setup saves only preferencesSemester Setup saves only your school, term, year and timezone preferences in this browser. Clear preferences removes those settings. It does not save course records, grades or ChatGPT replies. Data saved by the previous Semester Command Center is left in place; if detected, the setup page offers a separate action to delete that old data without deleting your downloaded files or Google Calendar events.
4. 04Grade Planner work stays in session memoryThe Grade Planner does not automatically save or sync your course. Pasted and entered grades stay in the current tab memory until you refresh, close the tab, or choose Finish and clear. On a shared device, someone may see the work while the tab remains open. Downloaded JSON backups and Excel workbooks remain in your device downloads or chosen folder after you finish and clear; remove those files with your device file manager when you no longer need them.
5. 05External AI handoff is your choiceCopying a request or opening ChatGPT does not upload your files automatically. When you attach materials and send them in ChatGPT, OpenAI receives them under the terms and settings of your ChatGPT account or school workspace. Future of STEM does not run a hosted AI model for Semester Setup.
6. 06Calendar transfers are deliberateFor Semester Setup, ChatGPT creates the calendar and completed workbooks. You download them from that chat. The calendar stays a file until you import it into your chosen calendar service. Semester Setup does not connect to your Google account or import events automatically. Files you download remain on your device until you delete them.
7. 07Question and chapter forms use email servicesSubmitting a form sends the fields you enter, including your reply address, through a Vercel-hosted endpoint to the Future of STEM mailbox. Gmail handles Clemson Ask email; Resend sends Presentation Feedback, chapter requests, and other contact email. The central Future of STEM mailbox is hosted by Gmail. Clemson Ask questions are also copied to the assigned student responder, who receives the question and your reply address. Future of STEM has not yet published a fixed mailbox deletion schedule, so do not submit sensitive personal, medical, financial, or disciplinary information.
8. 08Contact forms use short-lived rate limitingThe contact endpoint converts the connection address into a one-way, instance-specific rate-limit key and keeps only that key and a request count in memory for up to about ten minutes on that server instance. The raw address is not retained in that counter, and the counter is not added to the semester workspace.
9. 09Vercel processes standard hosting dataVercel may process standard request information needed to serve and protect the site, such as IP address, browser details, timestamps, and error logs. Future of STEM does not claim or control Vercel's retention schedule.
10. 10Analytics are not currently enabledFuture of STEM has not enabled Vercel Web Analytics or Speed Insights in this build. This notice must be updated before either service is enabled.
11. 11Verify important decisionsAI-extracted dates and Future of STEM guidance can be wrong. Confirm deadlines, policies, degree requirements, and academic decisions in your school's official systems before acting.