Data Handling for Social Security Numbers
The Data Stewards organization promotes caution when handling Social Security numbers. Unless there is a legal requirement to do so, Purdue employees should never collect Social Security numbers from individuals. They should also refrain from emailing documents containing Social Security numbers, as email is not an approved or secure method of communicating classified or restricted information.
Those are among the University-wide requirements the Purdue University Data Stewards organization reminds employees to adhere to when handling Social Security numbers. Purdue’s policy states:
- All new data-gathering systems purchased or developed by Purdue will NOT use Social Security numbers as identifiers.
- All University forms and documents that collect Social Security numbers will use the appropriate language to indicate whether a Social Security number is required or voluntary.
- Unless the University is legally required to collect a Social Security number, individuals will not be required to provide their SSN. They may provide their Purdue University Identification number instead.
University employees should also be familiar with the Indiana SSN Disclosure and Notice of Security Breach laws, which they can find in the Data Handling and Security training.
The Data Stewards organization spans multiple business units across the University and is responsible for creating Purdue’s data handling requirements, which apply to how Purdue handles and uses all the data entrusted to it. Data stewards also participate with administrative and technical staff members on projects that create, maintain, and use University data, whether in paper or electronic form.
The full Social Security number policy may be found on the Purdue website.
For additional information, contact datastewards@purdue.edu.
Writer: Andrea Thomas, technology writer, ITaP, 765-496-8204, thomas78@purdue.edu
Source: Gene Ann Fausett, public records administrator, 765-494-9218, gfausett@purdue.edu
Posted by Daniela Rivera on January 10, 2012, in Secure Purdue News.