COLLECTION AND USE OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

Effective: August 15, 2024

Purpose: Emporia State University is committed to the protection of personal information of all University community members. This policy addresses the collection, storage, use and disclosure of the Social Security Numbers (“SSNs”) of all Emporia State University students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other officially associated individuals. In the creation of this policy, Emporia State University acknowledges the consultation of policies from Kansas State University, 8/18/2006; Mississippi State University, 4/2/2006; University of Minnesota, 3/17/2005; and University of Illinois, 4/13/2004.

Scope: This policy applies to all Emporia State University colleges/schools, academic units, administrative units, and other entities or persons officially associated with Emporia State University.

Responsible Office: Human Resources; Academic Affairs; General University

Policy Statement: The SSN is not used as a personal identifier. SSNs are collected and used for the following purposes:

• Employment – The SSN is required of all employees for matters such as, but not limited to, tax withholding, FICA, Medicare or travel re-imbursement.
• Federal Financial Aid – The SSN is required for all students applying for student aid through the use of the Federal Free Application for Student Assistance (FAFSA). Students are also required to provide the SSN when applying for student educational loans.
• Tuition Remission – The SSN is required for Kansas reporting of taxable tuition remission benefits received by employees and graduate assistants.
• Benefits Management – The SSN may be required for verifying enrollment, processing, and reporting of benefit programs, such as veterans’ programs, medical benefits and health insurance claims.
• Student Insurance – The SSN is required for students participating in the Kansas Board of Regents managed Student Insurance Program.
• IRS Reporting Purposes – The SSN is required for federally required reporting of all IRS programs associated with all taxable and non-taxable scholarships, grants, and tuition payments.
• Information Exchange – The SSN may be used as a student identifier for the exchange of information from student academic records between appropriate institutions, including other colleges and universities or certification and licensure programs.

SSNs shall not be displayed or encoded on University identification cards. SSNs shall not be displayed or used in other mediums as part of other procedures that violate this University policy. The SSN shall not be used for regular identification or routine person authentication purposes. A unique individual identification number is to be assigned permanently to each individual associated with Emporia State University. This number serves as the alternate to the SSN.

Access to SSNs is limited to authorized individuals for authorized purposes. Emporia State University does not disclose the individual SSN to anyone outside the University except as allowed by law or upon proper written permission of the individual. The University Registrar is designated as a University SSN officer and oversees the security of the SSN within the Emporia State University computer systems and makes related day-to-day decisions to implement SSN usage policies related to all student records. The administrator in charge of Human Resources is designated as a University SSN officer and oversees the security of the SSN within the Emporia State University computer systems and makes related day-to-day decisions to implement the SSN usage policies related to all employment records. Review of procedures for SSN and conformity with this policy and procedures is maintained in the Registrar and Human Resource Offices.

Emporia State University General Counsel will review and provide advice on questions concerning SSNs.

All Emporia State University employees and affiliated entities will abide by the provisions of this policy and will act to ensure the security of SSNs and other confidential information.

Definitions: All words and phrases shall be interpreted utilizing their plain meanings unless otherwise defined in another University or Board of Regents policy or by statute or regulation.

Procedures: All procedures linked and related to the policies above shall have the full force and effect of policy if said procedures have first been properly approved by the University’s administrator in charge of Human Resources, Academic Affairs, and General University procedures.

[Human Resources procedures - coming soon]

[Academic Affairs procedures - coming soon]

[General University procedures - coming soon]

Related Policy Information: [coming soon]