Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions - SSN Project

Q: Will the University still request my Social Security number (SSN)?

Q: How will the University restrict future uses of SSNs?

Q: Does my office have to convert current paper records that contain SSNs? (i.e., records of students currently enrolled, currently being advised, etc.) What about historical records?

Q: What should individuals do about PC Word documents and e-mails that contain SSNs?

Q: Who will be responsible for the various systems and process changes that need to take place?

Q: How far back will the conversion go?

Q: Will the University standardize a label for the new main identifier?

Q: Will PSU IDs be used to display student scores/grades publicly after the conversion takes place over Winter Break 2004-2005?

Q: Will SSNs be removed from health insurance cards?

Q: How will retirees be affected?

Q: How should I use and protect my PSU ID?

QUESTION: How will I receive my new PSU ID?

ANSWER: All faculty, staff and full-time students will receive their new PSU ID numbers when the new Penn State id+ cards are issued in November to all existing cardholders (i.e. students, faculty and staff). Your new nine digit PSU ID (9-9999-9999) will be printed on the front of your new card. Existing photos will be used so new photos will not be necessary. There will be a distribution event at each campus from Nov. 1-5 in which id+ cards can be picked up.

QUESTION: Will the University still request my Social Security number (SSN)?

ANSWER: Yes, the University will still be required to collect individuals' SSNs for reporting and taxation purposes.

QUESTION: How will the University restrict future uses of SSNs?

ANSWER: Access to and use of SSNs will be strictly limited by the new University policy AD19. SSNs will only be available to authorized University employees who are required to use them in completing the business of the University. In addition, SSNs may not be stored electronically anywhere other than Penn State's Central ID Repository unless an exception is granted by the Chief Privacy Officer.

QUESTION: What is affected by this change?

ANSWER: Most Penn State systems that are now using the SSN as a main identifier will need to be changed (converted). With that in mind it is likely that:

Each University academic and administrative unit having to make computer program changes, as well as modifications to related processes, must complete these changes in a planned and timely sequence.
id+cards will need to be re-issued using existing photos.

QUESTION: Does my office have to convert current paper records that contain SSNs? (i.e., records of students currently enrolled, currently being advised, etc.) What about historical records?

ANSWER: Both current and historical records containing SSNs in offline storage such as paper, tape, cartridge, fiche, microfilm or magnetic media do not need to be converted as long as access to them is limited and secured.

All online and offline records containing SSNs will be considered confidential information. If you have any such records that you no longer need, they should be purged in compliance with the General Retention Schedule for University Records.

QUESTION: What should individuals do about PC Word documents and e-mails that contain SSNs?

ANSWER: Word documents and e-mails that contain SSNs must be secured, but do not need to be converted. If files are being kept for historical record but are not used regularly, consider moving them to secured offline storage such as CDs or paper and deleting them from online storage. Records held in offline storage, including CDs, paper, tape, and microfiche, do not need to be converted as long as access to these documents is limited and secured. All unncessary files/e-mails/documents containing SSNs should be deleted.

QUESTION: Who will be responsible for the various systems and process changes that need to take place?

ANSWER: The appropriate central offices will convert the central student and business systems, but local systems and processes are the responsibility of the individual department, college or campus. Local contacts have been designated throughout the University to coordinate the planning and execution of their unit's conversion efforts. They have been briefed on the project and have local planning teams coordinating changes to academic and administrative procedures, business processes and data. The planning phases that these teams have completed are as follows:

Phase 1: Identifying the Impact
Phase 2: Planning for the Conversion
Phase 3: Developing Action Plans

QUESTION: How far back will the conversion go?

ANSWER: All current and former employees will be included in the conversion. Students, plus all applicants and prospects currently in ISIS will be converted. ISIS dates back to 1982.

QUESTION: Will the University standardize a label for the new main identifier?

ANSWER: Yes. All new Web applications or services and forms created for use after Jan. 1, 2005 will use the common label of 'PSU ID'. With that in mind, the following also applies:

In existing student systems (ISIS) the standard is STUDENT ID, STUD ID, or ID, depending on the space available. This will not be changed.
In existing business systems (IBIS) the standard is EMPLOYEE ID, EMPL ID, or ID, depending on the space available. This will not be changed.
Screens and reports that do not separate populations will use PSU ID.
If this label is used in URLs or filenames/scripts, the space between PSU and ID can be eliminated.

For paper forms that are printed in mass and then stocked, existing supplies may be used until exhausted, but the SSN label would have to be changed manually to PSU ID to minimize confusion.

Any new paper forms printed for use after Jan. 1, 2005 must be PSU ID compliant.

Paper forms that are not printed in mass and stocked, such as forms which are downloaded and printed (i.e., PDF-format forms) or forms otherwise printed on demand, must be PSU ID compliant by Jan 1, 2005.

QUESTION: Will PSU IDs be used to display student scores/grades publicly after the conversion takes place over Winter Break 2004-2005?

ANSWER: Student grades should not be posted by SSNs. Also, in accordance with University policy AD19, the PSU ID cannot be used to display students' scores or grades publicly (neither by the whole number or by just the last 4 digits).

QUESTION: Will SSNs be removed from health insurance cards?

ANSWER: All Penn State providers will remove the SSN from their health insurance cards. In addition, all providers will be issuing new cards that contain a unique plan ID number (not the PSU ID).

QUESTION: How will retirees be affected?

ANSWER: All retirees will be assigned a new PSU ID for general business with the University. Only those retirees who currently have a Penn State id+ card will be issued a new card. Authorized University employees will be able to look up a PSU ID when required for a retiree.

QUESTION: How should I use and protect my PSU ID?

ANSWER: The PSU ID will be printed on the Penn State id+ card so that individuals have a permanent record of their PSU ID for reference purposes. It is the cardholder's responsibility to safeguard the confidentiality of the PSU ID number.

Questions: SSN Project Team


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