The Purdue University Identifier (PUID) number is a ten-digit identification number, formatted as 00000-00000 and assigned to each person based on his or her unique relationship with the University. The ability to determine whether the person is or has been a student or an employee is important, especially when information about that person needs to be shared across systems. A person's PUID identifies the person to Purdue University's computer-based, service-provider application programs and allows that individual to access University information or services.
PUIDs are represented in printed form as 00000-00000 (which further helps to distinguish a PUID from a nine digit Social Security Number). The PUID format will allow assignment of 100 million unique identifiers. The last of the ten digits of the PUID is a check digit that can be used to detect when the PUID (including the check digit) has been typed or transcribed incorrectly.
For more information on how the check digit is computed and used, please see http://www.i2a2.purdue.edu/I2A2/reference/luhn.shtml
The most common relationships that cause PUID assignment are that of a student, faculty member, or staff member of the University. Information about the new employee or new student is keyed into the Human Resources or Student services databases.
Every night, data files from the Student and Human Resource service areas are sent to the PUID systems. If a person is a new record (i.e., one to which a PUID has not yet been assigned), then the system assigns a PUID number. If the person looks like someone to whom a PUID has already been assigned, that record is not assigned a PUID and is instead held in "suspense" for a more detailed review. Records held in "suspense" require a staff member in a central office to undertake a review to determine whether that person is the same as another person with a PUID or whether that person is a new record that will require the assignment of a PUID.
Once a PUID is assigned other electronic services begin the process of assigning the person a Purdue Career Account and ensuring access to University information and services appropriate to the person's affiliation with the University.
There are various defined ranges within the PUID structure. From the design of the PUID, it is clear that there are 2,000,000,000 (two billion possible PUIDs ranging from -99999-99999 up to 99999-99999. Nothing in the design of Purdue's Infrastructure for Identification, Authentication, and Authorization (I2A2) infrastructure precludes the use of negative PUIDs (although it is not anticipated that negative PUIDs would be used within the University community to identify patrons).
PUIDs are assigned for various purposes as follows:| PUID Range | Usage | Size | Abbreviation |
| 99999-99999 to 00000-00018 | This is the set of all negative PUIDs. This set of PUIDs is reserved for internal use by the I2A2 system. | 1,000,000,000 | NEG |
| 00000-00000 to 00000-00992 | This set of PUIDs is for internal use and testing by I2A2 staff. | 100 | INT |
| 00000-01006 to 00000-99994 | This set of PUIDs is to assign temporary test PUIDs to I2A2 users. | 9,900 | TEST |
| 00001-00004 to 00009-99995 | This set of PUIDs will be used for conference attendees. This is a special block of numbers that will be reused as needed. | 90,000 | CONF |
| 00010-00003 to 00099-99996 | This set of PUIDs is reserved for future use. | ?? | RESV |
| 00050-00002 to 00099-99996 | This set of PUIDs is reserved for entity, or non-person, use. | ?? | PROD-NON-PERSON |
| 00100-000002 to 99999-99999 | This set of PUIDs is used in the production I2A2 systems. These numbers are available to be assigned to persons with a Purdue relationship. | 999,000,000 | PROD |
For more information on the defined ranges of the PUID, please see Building Blocks Document
A Social Security number is a nine-digit number issued to United States citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents. The number is unique to each person to whom it is assigned. The Social Security Number is issued to an individual by the United States Social Security Administration. The primary purpose of a Social Security Number is to track working individuals for taxation and Social Security benefits purposes. In recent years, a person's Social Security Number has become a de facto identification number for that person
Due to its unique nature and governmental use, a person's Social Security Number is a very sensitive piece of information used to prove a person's identity. Together with a name and other identifying pieces of information, a Social Security Number can provide access to a great deal of information about a person. Therefore, a person's Social Security Number should be kept closely guarded and not used indiscriminately.
Purdue University is dedicated to ensuring the privacy and proper handling of Social Security Numbers of the students, employees, and other individuals associated with the University. While Social Security Numbers have been used in University systems in the past to uniquely identify students and employees and to permit students and employees to gain access their own confidential information within University systems, the University recognizes the need to replace its use of the Social Security Number with another identifier in order to help those people associated with the University to protect their privacy. The PUID was designed to take the place of current identification number keys such as Social Security Numbers. Using the PUID is superior to using a person's Social Security Number for such authorization and authentication because the PUID is an identifier internal only to Purdue University. The PUID makes no sense and has no value or validity outside of the University system.
To view Purdue University's Social Security Number Policy, please see http://www.purdue.edu/policies/pages/information_technology/v_5_1.html
For students, the PUID is being used today on grade reports, to distribute class rosters, and on computer grading sheets for quizzes and exams. For employees, the PUID is being used on vacation forms, benefits enrollment, and travel reimbursement forms.
The PUID number is used in conjunction with the Purdue ID Card to determine an individual's eligibility for services such as use of the libraries, academic privileges, access to a computing career account, email privileges, building access, and more. Additional services and features that rely upon the PUID number as an identifier may be introduced in the future.
The PUID is designed to take the place of current identification numbers that can be used in all systems at the University. Some systems may continue to store Social Security Numbers internally, especially where the law or federal regulations require this information be recorded.
The long-term goal for the PUID is to be part of a more sophisticated security system through which anyone with a relationship with Purdue will prove their identity and be granted privileges based on authentication of their identity. Privileges might include computer accounts, access to web sites containing course materials, library access, or identification card rights, to mention a few. Referred to as the Infrastructure, Identification, Authentication and Authorization system (I2A2), people with a Purdue relationship will prove their identity through a set of secrets that may include passwords as well as public and private keys (Public Key Infrastructure, or PKI).
The PKI environment provides a secure encryption scheme using two encryption keys, a private key and a public key. The public key is published, and the private key is encrypted with a pass phrase known only to its owner. The encryption scheme enables a person to send information and be assured that the message can only be decrypted by the intended recipient, who holds the private key. Similarly, if the sender cryptographically signs a message, the recipient can be assured that the message was not altered and will know who sent it. (PKI doesn't prevent interception. It prevents intercepted documents from being decrypted or modified and sent on.) A PKI key offers a means of making a technological "handshake" between two cooperating encryption systems across the Internet.
Through the use of public and private keys, encrypted information can be passed over the Internet and unlocked using the keys. This technology will ensure that one can trust that the information is sent to the person it was intended to receive it and that the person receiving it knows from who it came and that the message was not viewed by others.
I2A2, or the Infrastructure for Identification, Authentication, and Authorization, is a support system developed at Purdue University to help data systems control resources. It enables the electronic data systems to identify who is asking for resources, prove the declared identity, and determine access rights for the identity. The identity key used by I2A2 is the Purdue University Identifier (PUID). A permanent PUID is assigned to each person having a relationship with Purdue. The PUID contains ten digits. It is important to note that the PUID alone should not be used to control access to any private resources. However, when used with the proper authentication credentials, the PUID can safely and securely provide access to private resources.
The I2A2 system has three components:
While the names are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference between PUID (the number) and what is referred to as the PUID card (the photo identification card). While these two terms seem closely related (i.e., your PUID number appears on your Purdue University ID card), they are distinct.
The PUID number is your official University identification number. It could also be thought of as a student or staff identification number. Your PUID is your key to identifying yourself to University electronic systems and accessing University information and services.
The Purdue University ID Card is your official University photographic identification and as a student or employee you should carry it with you whenever you are on campus. The ID Card is your key to access various facilities and services on campus. Your PUID number is printed on your Purdue University ID Card and is contained on the magnetic strip on your card. When your card is swiped, the information on the magnetic stripe links to your record on the ID Card System. The ID Card System verifies your eligibility for services as well as your academic or employment standing when status is required (for example, to receive a student or faculty/staff discount).
For more information on the Purdue University ID Card, please see http://www.purdue.edu/card/
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as well as Purdue Executive Memorandum C-51, prohibit the release of private student information. This includes the posting of grades by social security numbers, student identification numbers, or by names. FERPA specifically prohibits the posting of grades in personally identifiable forms, including the use of portions of social security or student ID numbers. Grades may not be posted using the PUID to identify individual students.
For more information, please see:No, the PUID is not the same as a Career Account. All Purdue University faculty, staff, and students have a Purdue Career Account. Your Purdue Career Account can be used as long as you are a student or employee of Purdue University. Your Purdue Career Account gives you electronic access to a number of services at Purdue University.
For more information about Purdue Career Accounts, please visit:The long-term goal for the PUID is to be part of a more sophisticated security system through which anyone with a relationship with Purdue will prove their identity and be granted privileges based on authentication of their identity. Privileges might include computer accounts, access to web sites containing course materials, library access, or identification card rights, to mention a few. Referred to as the Infrastructure, Identification, Authentication and Authorization system (I2A2), people with a Purdue relationship will prove their identity through a set of secrets that may include passwords as well as public and private keys (Public Key Infrastructure, or PKI).
For more information, please visit:Your PUID is printed on the face of your Purdue University ID Card and is also contained on the magnetic strip on the card.
You can look up your PUID by accessing your Purdue University directory information at http://www.itap.purdue.edu/directory/. Choose the option that allows you to "Edit Personal Directory Entry." You will need to log in with your Career Account information in order to view your detailed directory information. Your PUID is listed near the bottom of the directory information.
Beginning October 2005 all new employees will receive a letter containing their PUID shortly after they begin employment with Purdue University. Current Purdue employees received a letter in October 2005 containing this same information. Employees can also contact their business office if they require further assistance.
Beginning Fall 2006 each admitted student's PUID will be printed on the back of the student planning calendar (along with information about setting up their career account online) in the "congratulations" packet. The PUID will also be printed on the admissions response form (forms that students return to Purdue upon accepting admission).
The Purdue University ID Card is your official University photographic identification and as a student or employee you should carry it with you whenever you are on campus. The ID Card is your key to access various facilities and services on campus. Your PUID number is printed on all new Purdue University ID cards issued since October 2003.
The most common relationships that cause PUID assignment are that of a student, faculty member, or staff member of the University. Information about the new employee or new student is keyed into the Human Resources or Student services databases. Since the year 2000, all employees and students have been issued a PUID.
In some circumstances conference attendees and guests may be assigned a temporary PUID which is used only for conference attendees and guests to access certain University services during the term of their conference. The privileges granted with the PUID are limited to the specific needs of that conference and attendee and are additionally limited by the term of the conference (the time that the privileges are granted). Because a certain number of PUIDs are reserved for conference use, PUID numbers in this range are reused for other conference attendees and guests as needed.
The PUID is considered sensitive data according to Purdue University’s Data Handling Guidelines. Due to the potential misuse of any public or private information, PUID will not be externally publicized in public directories (electronic or print), postings, and any other location where someone’s PUID could be discovered.
PUID can be included in email, although encryption is suggested.
PUID can be stored on CD, and can be sent via campus mail. However, encryption is suggested in this case. Hand-delivery is another option.
If a CD is being sent to an external location using US mail or by carrier, the contents of the CD must be encrypted.
You may store PUID on your computer. For example, an instructor may download a course roster from SIS and store that on their computer.
For information regarding Purdue’s data handling guidelines, please visit:
http://www.itap.purdue.edu/security/policies/procedures/dataHandling.cfm
It is suggested that individuals protect their PUID number in the same manner that they would protect any other private information about themselves. Encryption is suggested in transmitting a PUID electronically (such as E-mail, FTP, connections to administrative applications, etc).