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.
Jason G. Irizarry is dean of the Neag School of Education, professor, and faculty associate in El Instituto: Institute for Latina/a, Caribbean and Latin American Studies. He most recently served as the Neag School’s interim dean and, prior to that, as associate dean for academic affairs. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in multicultural education, culturally responsive curriculum development, participatory action research, and urban education. A central focus of his work involves promoting the academic achievement of youth in urban schools by addressing issues associated with educator preparation. His first book, The Latinization of U.S. Schools: Successful Teaching and Learning in Shifting Cultural Contexts, was awarded the Phillip C. Chin Book Award from the National Association for Multicultural Education. He is also the co-editor of Diaspora Studies in Education: Toward a Framework for Understanding the Experiences of Transnational Communities. Irizarry has an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
His research interests include urban teacher recruitment, preparation, and retention with an emphasis on increasing the number of teachers of color, culturally responsive pedagogy, youth participatory action research, and Latino/a students in U.S. schools.
Dorothea Anagnostopoulos
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Associate Professor
Dorothea Anagnostopoulos is associate dean for academic affairs at the Neag School and an associate professor of curriculum and instruction. As associate dean, she oversees and maintains high-quality academic programs across the Neag School while developing and leading the implementation of inclusive, equity-oriented community building, networking, and professional development programming for faculty. She also directs School-wide accreditation efforts and monitors course enrollments.
Anagnostopoulos previously served as the Neag School’s executive director of teacher education from 2013 to 2019.
Morgaen L. Donaldson
Associate Dean for Research
Philip E. Austin Endowed Chair
Professor
In her role as associate dean for research, Donaldson works with faculty and staff across the School in developing and enacting a plan to support research and the securing of grants, and also is responsible for developing initiatives to enhance the research climate and provide opportunities in the Neag School for faculty, staff, and students to expand their research skills, funding sources, and productivity. Donaldson also will serve as a resource and facilitator for Neag School faculty and staff who are considering writing grants, have operational questions concerning funded grants, or are encountering problems or difficulties with grant-related activities.
Barbara Sousa
Assistant Dean and Chief Operating Officer
Barbara Sousa serves assistant dean and chief operating officer of the Neag School. In this role, she is responsible for managing the administration of the Neag School of Education and acts as the chief agent for all administrative matters, including overseeing the areas of fiscal administration, facilities, information technology, human resources, and the Dean’s Office operations.
Ann Traynor
Assistant Dean and Certification Officer
Ann Traynor, assistant dean and certification officer for the Neag School, directs advising, educator certification, recruitment, retention, and career preparation School-wide. She is also a member of the University’s Advising Council and serves on the Neag School’s Assessment, Curricula and Courses, and Global Education Committees, as well as co-chair, Standard 3, for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Accreditation Self-Study.
