Protecting
Personal Privacy at Penn
As
the University continues its efforts
to protect personal privacy, the Privacy
Senior Executive Committee has approved
a statement of goals regarding the
protection of one particularly sensitive
type of data--the Social Security number.
We ask that faculty and staff work
with us in achieving these important
objectives.
Please
examine the use of Social Security
numbers by your office or any unit
with which you are affiliated, and
make changes to help Penn achieve
these goals.
If
you have questions or comments, feel
free to contact the
University's Chief Privacy Officer
Lauren Steinfeld, at privacy@pobox.upenn.edu or
(215) 573-4806 or see their web site
at http://www.upenn.edu/privacy/.
--Peter
Conn, Deputy
Provost
--Rick N. Whitfield,
Vice President for Audit & Compliance
Statement
of Goals Regarding Social Security
Numbers
The
University of Pennsylvania appreciates
the importance of protecting personal
information and is engaged in a number
of initiatives in the area of personal
privacy. Penn recognizes that one
particular type of personal data--the
Social Security number--is a useful
way to uniquely identify individuals,
but also, in the wrong hands, can
be used to cause harm to members of
our community.
The
University's goal is to use the Social
Security number as a unique identifier
only when necessary to fulfill legal
requirements or when there is a sufficient
need, such as when certain external
organizations legitimately require
them. When there is such a need, Penn's
goal also is to limit the availability
of Social Security numbers to personnel
with a need to know in furtherance
of their job functions. Finally, Penn
will continue to raise awareness about
the risks, and appropriate uses, of
Social Security numbers.
Almanac, Vol. 49, No. 19, January 28, 2003
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