News
 

SGA Bill targets student security

Proposal calls for end to using Social Security numbers 
for UH student ID

By Barrett Goldsmith
The Daily Cougar

UH students' Social Security numbers may become less social and more secure based on a Student Government Association bill calling for the creation of alternative identification numbers.

The bill, approved by the SGA Senate on June 30 and sent to UH administrators last week, requires identification numbers for use in academic and administrative procedures that would replace Social Security numbers, the most frequently used form of student identification.

"We had some complaints from students that their Social Security numbers were popping up on the Internet," At-Large Sen. Michael Graves said. "A lot of people would like to see their Social Security numbers protected, and we think this legislation can help with that."

Graves wrote the bill with Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Sens. Micah Bynum and Mark Annas. He said a similar policy was implemented at Texas A&M University last year and has generated positive results so far.

SGA President Jon Quintanilla signed the bill last week and sent it to interim Provost Jerald Strickland. It will also be sent to the Faculty Senate, the Undergraduate Council and UH President Jay Gogue.

"The faculty and the staff have to adopt it wholeheartedly for it to work," Quintanilla said. "Since these numbers would be used for a long time, it's important that we commit to it completely. "

A bill from Natural Sciences and Mathematics Sen. Christopher Crane calling for prohibiting faculty members from posting students' numbers in public places will not be presented to the UH administration.

"The language of Sen. Crane's bill was incorporated into the final version of the other bill," Quintanilla said, "so we think the spirit and the intent of that bill is still alive."

The SGA Senate will next meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the University Center's Bluebonnet Room.

Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu