When previous generations of students went to college, their social security numbers doubled as their school ID numbers. Students at many universities were asked to give their number to complete virtually any transaction or service. But in recent years, as the risks associated with sharing one's social security number became more evident, schools phased out the number as the requisite identification.
In most ways, Ohio University has followed suit with this trend. But one central area of the university seems to have fallen behind. As Alden Library adds a new $100,000 server that will allow students, faculty and staff to access online content and library services without using their social security number, the question must be asked: What took them so long?
This change should have been implemented years ago. With the proliferation of online identity theft, no service should require the submission of such a powerful nine-digit number. Right now students are being asked to hand over the key to their identity - for many, over highly insecure wireless connections - in exchange for their history reading.
This practice has been putting OU's students, faculty and staff at unnecessary risk. According to the Social Security Administration, the number is all someone needs to steal a person's identity and cause all kinds of problems, including destruction of the victim's credit.
Alden's move toward change is a good one, but it has taken too long. Everything else on campus, from e-mail to class registration to financial aid, is accessible using OAK or PID numbers. That the library did not enact such changes along with the rest of the university is puzzling. And it seems they are dragging their feet on updating the system, restricted by the sluggish timetable imposed by the hardware vendor. But they have reason to hurry. The longer Alden Library requires people to submit social security numbers, the longer it puts Ohio University's population at risk.
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PID switchover too long in coming
