The law spells out six situations in which it is mandatory for an individual to disclose his or her social security number. The exception that applies most often at the University is collection of the social security number for tax-related purposes. The University may use someone's social security number for other purposes only if the person has consented to its use for those purposes. For example, by signing a statement on admissions application paperwork, students consent to our usin g their social security numbers as identifiers for our internal record-keeping purposes.
New employees sign a similar consent statement.
Because we now use them as internal record-identifiers, social security numbers are spread through files across campus. With numbers so easily accessible, there is a risk that, when s student or employee has refused to allow us to use his social security number for some voluntary purpose, a clerical employee may enter the number anyway because he or she has easy access to it. This would violate the statute. If that information were not provided, this would violate the statute. Unlike students and employees, they have not previously consented to this use.