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.
Sutha Kanagasingam’s (‘13) article: Group-Specific Campus Involvement for Students with Disabilities was published in the Fall 2012 NASPA Knowledge Community Online Publication. To read the article, please reference page 25.
The M. Kevin Fahey Graduate Assistant Award was named to honor one of NACA Northeast’s founders. This award is given to a graduate student in the region who has made a significant contribution to his/her institution and/or NACA. Congratulations to Kyle Neary (Class of ’14), the recipient of the 2013 M. Kevin Fahey Graduate Assistant Award!
Kristen Glines (‘13), Mike Metzger (‘11), and Maria Sedotti, Coordinator of Orientation Services at the University of Connecticut presented at the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) National Conference in Las Vegas in October of 2012. The presentation was titled: Creating Better Orientation Customer Service Using Magic and some FISH! Mike Metzger (‘11) created a corresponding Wiki. Well done!
[Glines, K., Metzger, M., & Sedotti, M. (2012, October). Creating Better Orientation Customer Service Using Magic and some FISH!. National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) National Conference, Las Vegas, NV.]
Kathy Andrade (‘12) who is currently the Assistant Director of Student Activities & Student Organizations at The University of Miami was awarded Outstanding Educational Session Presented by Professional Staff: "Engaging Students through Social Media" at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) South Regional Conference in Chattanooga, TN. Congratulations Kathy!
Danielle Sosias (‘14) was awarded funding by El Instituto to host a working group that focuses on Trends of Latino/a students in higher education. In her project, students and staff meet monthly to discuss current research trends that focus on the Latina/o student. Sosias will conduct research on areas such as Latino/a identity, bi-cultural Latino/a students, and retention and graduation rates of Latino/a students who are involved in PRLACC's mentoring program.
Congratulations to Marisa (Sullivan) Forti (‘09) on her acceptance of the University of New Hampshire at Manchester’s Staff Excellence award in June, 2013. Forti currently serves as an academic counselor in the Academic Counseling Office and coordinator of both the College Transition Program and Study Away programs. This annual award is presented to a staff member of the University of New Hampshire community who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments and distinguished service beyond their regular job responsibilities.