A national survey of college registrars, which found that 220 colleges and universities had been contacted by federal investigators seeking student information in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, has raised concerns about student privacy and civil rights.
Though Princeton was one of more than 1,000 institutions that participated in the survey, the University has not been contacted by federal investigators seeking student information, University officials said.
The registrar's office does disclose some student information — including name, dates of University attendance, date and place of birth, major field of study and participation in officially recognized activities and sports — in response to outside inquiries, according to Rights, Rules and Responsibilities. The Registrar maintains records on current undergraduate and graduate students as well as alumni.
"We don't provide lists," Univer-sity Registrar Joseph Greenberg said. "But if there is a specific question we would release that information to anyone who asked unless we felt there was an intention of harm."
The release of student information other than the information available from the registrar would require a subpoena, Greenberg said.
If student records were subpoenaed, a group of University administrators — including President Tilghman and University General Counsel Howard Ende — would decide whether to cooperate on a "case-by-case" basis, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students Marianne Waterbury said. The University would be required to attempt to notify the student concerned.
"We would comply with the law, but would need to get the subpoena first," University spokesperson Marilyn Marks explained.
Though University officials said that the FBI has not requested student information, FBI agents have been on campus to work with University administrators and public safety to assess campus security. The FBI has not interviewed students outside of these investigations, according to Public Safety Crime Prevention Specialist Barry Weiser.
The University has complied with federal agencies' requests for student information in the past — including government requests for information about Chinese students in the 1980s — but it places a high priority on safe-guarding student privacy, International Center director Paula Chow said.
Additional information about the University's more than 900 international students will eventually be available to government officials through a federal database — called the Student Exchange Visitor Information System — to monitor foreign nationals holding student visas, according to Mary Idzior, the University's director of visa services.
In addition to students' names, citizenship and academic and employment status — information already required for visa applicants — the database will also include current addresses, visa types and dates of issue and information on academic disciplinary actions due to criminal convictions, according to Immigration and Naturalization Service statements.
A $95 fee for student visa applicants has been proposed to cover the cost of maintaining the database.
The INS plans to implement SEVIS by 2003. The University will participate in providing information about student visa holders "if that's what's required," Idzior said.
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