Whitman employee sends file with student GPAs to school listserv
Corey Henry | Photo Editor
An assistant dean at Whitman has apologized to students whose data was released.
A career adviser in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management sent an email Thursday to at least 90 people that included the GPAs of all students in the Class of 2021.
Alicin Welsh, assistant director of the Whitman Career Center, accidentally included the Excel sheet in an email about marketing-related job opportunities. The sheet contains students’ names, GPAs and SUID numbers.
Welsh attempted to recall the email from the listserv after it was sent. Whitman has asked anyone who received the email to delete it.
Kevin Bailey, assistant dean for marketing/communications and chief information office at Whitman, sent emails on Friday apologizing to students whose information was released. The file was intended for internal use “for legitimate educational purposes,” Bailey said. SUID numbers alone cannot be used to access students’ online accounts or assets, he said.
“The employees immediately notified the Dean’s Office and Whitman Technology Services,” Bailey said. “Dean Anderson, our staff person and I sincerely regret the inadvertent transmission.”
Bruno Gonzalez, a junior entrepreneurship and emerging enterprise major, told The Daily Orange that his information was included in the Excel sheet.
“I don’t appreciate my subpar GPA being released to the Whitman student body,” Gonzalez said.
Student GPAs and other academic information is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Under FERPA, any schools or universities that receive federal funding cannot release a student’s personal information to a third-party without consent from that student. The law applies to SU because the university receives federal funding.
“The University takes any exposure of student information very seriously,” Bailey said. “We are prepared to assist you with any concerns you may have related to this incident.”
When asked for comment, a Whitman communications director referred The D.O. to Bailey’s email to students.
Published on October 25, 2019 at 6:50 pm
Contact Casey: casey@dailyorange.com | @caseydarnell_
