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Challenges to Opt-Out Privacy Policies at Colleges?
jmaxlow asks: "It's that time of year again when my university sends out mailers informing students that their personal information will be compiled and released in a student directory unless students register objections in writing by the deadline. This info includes name, address, date of birth, and email address, among other items, and there is nothing to prevent them from selling the information to third parties without vested interests. The Buckley Amendment allows them to do this, so of course it isn't illegal. But my question is: has anyone ever petitioned their university to change to an opt-in policy? I'd like to know what responses schools have given, if any, when challenged, before I bring it up with my own registrar."
Buckley (Also know as FERPA) requires american educational institutions (all, not just post-secondary) to protect ALL student information from disclosure, with certain exceptions. The exceptions include inquiries from government agencies and other educational institutions (i.e. they can reply to another university when they call to check your transcript). This is OK mostly becasue these institutions have the same sorts of restrictions placed on them once they have the info.
The other big exception is for "directory" information. What comprises this information is up to the discretion of the university. You would think what sirectory info was would be obvious, or at least standard, but at least at the university I work at, a leading online university, does not count email address as directory information (because otherwise other online universities (read "for-profit") might be able to request, and we'd be required to provide, this information, and then PU spam is just a click away).
There was recently a story in the news of an elementary school in Texas somewhere who was publishing student info in this way. They were just following the letter and spirit of the law.
So opt out. Your school is following the law. If they put you in a student directory, then they have to give that info to anyone who asks.
Maybe they could publish a student directory with everyone assigned a code number, which you could then input to a student-restricted website to get the address of that hottie you've been wanting to stalk?