Some students have concerns about the availability of addresses and telephone numbers on the Web in the Penn State directory (www.psu.edu/ph).

"It doesn't have the nickname 'stalker net' for nothing," Michael Ferry (senior-operations and information systems management) said.

Ferry, former liaison officer for Lambda Student Alliance, said many gay students would prefer a more private system.

"It wouldn't be hard for someone who is violently homophobic to see a name in an article about Pride Week, find out where they live, stalk them and possibly do something unspeakable," he said.

Dan Leathers, co-coordinator of the Penn State American Civil Liberties Union, said the public availability of personal information can lead to identity theft. Leathers suspects the university sells students' information to companies, such as the MBNA America Bank credit card company. He said he has received telephone calls from MBNA, asking him to sign up for a Penn State credit card.

Kristin Taylor, staff assistant in the registrar's office, said students can request confidentiality, which results in the withholding of any information on the student verbally or in print.

For students without confidentiality, the office can provide anyone who asks with directory information without prior student consent. This information includes local and home address, telephone number, date and place of birth, major, activities, dates of attendance, and parent's, guardian's or spouse's name and address. The student's signature is required for the release of more detailed information.

Taylor said confidentiality will begin immediately for verbal information, within a week for the online directory and in the upcoming school year for the annual print directory.

Withholding of only some information is not possible. Students cannot, for example, remove their addresses and telephone numbers from the online directory without having total confidentiality.

When a student has confidentiality, Taylor said, the registrar's office cannot confirm the student's enrollment to outside parties, including potential employers, over the phone. A student may, however, submit an enrollment verification letter with his or her signature to have this information released.

Leathers said students should be able to specify which information will be released and to whom.

"Penn State is pretty much saying it's an all or nothing deal," Leathers said.

Ferry said he and some other gay students have not requested confidentiality because verification of enrollment is too important. He said the system should be changed so it protects students' privacy without interfering with other aspects of their lives. Ferry said he has removed additional information that was once available on the Web, reducing his directory entry to the fewest possible fields.

Jennifer Storm, co-director of Lambda Student Alliance, said she considered filing for confidentiality while planning the Pride Week rally last year.

"I figured people are going to find me if they want to," Storm said. "I wasn't going to let fear control any of that."

Takkeem Morgan, vice president of Black Caucus, said some members of the organization requested confidentiality last year after some received death threats. Morgan said he did not because he wanted people to be able to contact him.