Comments on: Sold Out

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 18:12:57 +0000

Actually, Anne, I wasn’t worried becuase I distinctly remembered checking the box that declines them the ability to release my information to outside organizations without my approval.

While it’s true the U gets money off this, unfortunately it’s not just market forces that are involved here, we’re talking a 30-year-old student privacy protection law that is still in force. You can do a google search for “FERPA site:UNIVERSITY_NAME.edu” and find the federal office at which you can file a complaint.

The reason I remembered the name of the act so clearly is because I just had to take a training course in research ethics, which clearly outlined what you can and can’t do with records under FERPA (for educational institutions) and HIPAA (medical records).

By: Rick DeMent

Rick DeMent — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 15:38:48 +0000

I was considering going exclusivally to my cell phone, instead I keep my POTS line and I simply unhooked it. I use that number on all forms. The only time I give out the cell number is if it’s to a person who needs to contacts me and I have made it clear that they are not to enter it in any “system” other then a slip of paper.

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 04:28:51 +0000

Damn Chuck, you weren’t worried, were you?

I would never expect less of our gracious university.

By: dorsano

dorsano — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 02:02:42 +0000

The invisible hand that moves the market strikes again – and strikes at the last bastion of liberism to boot. I’m sorry, Lauren – it’s all a major pain in the ass – I’ve put two through college already with two more to go so can I feel your pain.

By: The Heretik

The Heretik — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 00:49:23 +0000

KRAZY KARAOKE AT LEFTY’S LOUNGE

IT’S KRAZY KARAOKE NIGHT AT LEFTY’S LOUNGE AGAIN Sing a song anyway you like. Mix up the words or the facts and go for it. Tonight’s featured singer and song is George W. Bush doing MY WAY. Mash the

By: Ralph

Ralph — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 22:53:38 +0000

At least they didn’t use you to recruit football players.

By: Rana

Rana — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 22:34:52 +0000

I’d also send them a bill for any unwanted phone calls you get on your cell as a result of this.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 21:26:56 +0000

Yes, I just verified this. You, as a student of legal age and as the parent of a student, have the right to request a form which specifies how you wish to restrict your and your dependent’s directory information.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 21:16:02 +0000

No, but seriously, there are restrictions with FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (I think)) which specify that you must be given an opportunity to opt-out of the school (at any level) providing your contact information to any outside body for any purpose other than criminal investigations.

FERPA protects your son, for example, by not allowing any of his information to be released to anyone except you. You should have had a chance to opt-out of information release both by Purdue for your info, and by Ethan’s school for his. I’m almost 100% sure you can call Purdue and throw a shit fit about this.

By: Harrison

Harrison — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 20:31:24 +0000

Lauren, that sucks big time, but of course it isn’t a surprise…

I have always found it somewhat galling that our personal information is not considered ours exclusively, but rather is a commodity to be bought and sold. And if we don’t like it, tough–we are told that it’s the price of living in the Information Age. This is, of course, bullshit; peddled to us by the individuals and corporations making money off of that info. I wonder…if enough of our legislators were to become ID theft victims…would they then be willing to make more stringent laws to enable us to control our information? Of course, you’d need other authorities who would be willing to enforce those laws…maybe all this is too much to hope for…