Although many students do not think about it, their identity is in jeopardy almost every day. From Tiger Cards to scantrons, students’ Social Security numbers are everywhere for anyone to steal.
The University has attempted to identify students by their 16-digit number on their Tiger Cards, but many teachers and departments still use students’ Social Security numbers for identification.
When students go to the Registrar’s Office for a transcript, the secretary requests their Tiger Card to swipe it into the computer to pull up their information by their Social Security numbers.
Robert Doolos, University registrar, said all student records are based on students’ Social Security numbers.
Doolos said the registrar and the Enterprise Solutions Group, dedicated to improving the administrative operations of the University, have been conducting discussions for several years about trying to move away from students’ Social Security numbers as the primary identifier of student records.
“It would be a monumental change,” Doolos said regarding the registrar’s switch from identifying students by their Social Security numbers.
Robin Montgomery, Office of Computing Services manager, said that as new systems have been developed over the past several years, alternative identifiers have been incorporated.
Currently, Enterprise Solutions is analyzing the existing systems, such as student records, to determine the best numbers to identify students privately and publicly, Montgomery said.
Now students also can use their Tiger Cards off campus, which raises even more security issues.
Tiger Cards can be used at 16 off-campus locations, such as Mellow Mushroom, Walk On’s and Domino’s. Although the 16-digit number is the only number readable off campus, someone could purchase a card reader and view the Social Security numbers embedded into the magnetic strip, said Jorge Chinchilla, manager of the Tiger Card Office.
Aaron Daly, a computer science senior, said he was concerned someone could buy a card reader and take advantage of people using Tiger Cards because the Social Security numbers still are readable.
“It is not hard to exploit the system,” Daly said.
Mark Kraner, director of Contracted Auxiliary Services, said the University began looking into an alternative for Social Security numbers in 2000, after requests from Student Government to move away from using students’ Social Security numbers and a national movement away from Social Security identification.
Once the University decided to act upon Social Security safety concerns, Kraner said they bought a block of 16-digit reserved numbers in 2001, the same types of numbers credit card companies purchase.
Kraner said students were required to switch to the new Tiger Cards in fall 2002, after the transaction aspect of the new cards was integrated throughout campus.
Before the fall 2002 semester, students’ Tiger Cards had their Social Security number printed on it. Now, the 16-digit number has replaced it.
Kraner said students recognized there were issues with identity theft and the University responded by making it possible to no longer use Social Security numbers.
Montgomery said Social Security numbers eventually will be removed as the primary identifier in all systems, but will continue to be requested when needed for legal and reporting purposes.
But until the University discontinues the use of Social Security numbers, students’ safety could be at risk.
Many teachers require Social Security numbers on their scantrons and tests.
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, a non-profit organization, approximately seven million people were victims of identity theft between July 2002 and July 2003.
Identity theft is the deliberate use of another person’s name and other identifying information, such as a Social Security number, to commit theft or fraud or to access confidential information, which could take years to recover.
Katie Graffeo, a kinesiology senior, said she is concerned about identity theft because her mother’s Social Security number was stolen this year.
Graffeo said the people who stole her mother’s Social Security number got it by stealing her driver’s license out of her purse.
Katie Kelley, a mass communication sophomore, said she did not know her Social Security number could be taken off her Tiger Card.
Blair Budden, a biological sciences freshman, said he frequently uses his Tiger Card off campus and was unaware that his Social Security number was readable on the card. However, he said his Tiger Card is too convenient to worry about identity theft.
Reneau Londot, an architecture sophomore, said he is not worried about identity theft.
Katelin Rafferty, an interior design sophomore, agreed with Londot. She said she is not concerned because there are so many students at the University, she doubts her Social Security would be the target.
Chinchilla said he was unsure which departments still used Social Security numbers, nor did he know when all departments would switch over or where progress stood on the rollover of all departments using the 16-digit number instead of Social Security numbers.