A newly proposed federal policy may require universities to give the government more detailed information about individual students, which would conflict with Penn State's recent efforts to protect students' privacy.

Jim Wager, assistant vice provost for enrollment management and university registrar, said the collected information could be beneficial in tracking individual students throughout their higher education career.

However, he stressed that it also raises security concerns.

"Students and other professional groups are questioning the balance between improving national statistics against individual student privacy and identity," he said.

American Council on Education chair member David Swinton said the newly collected information would help evaluate the quality of institutions in relation to graduation and transfer rates.

He said specific information would be released early next year if the proposal is passed by Congress.

"We need to collect data on individual students so we can track them and better evaluate trends," he said.

If the proposal is passed, 1,500 colleges will test the system during the 2006-07 academic year.

If successful, it will be implemented nationwide the following academic year.

David Lindstrom, Penn State privacy manager, said he feels the proposal is a step backward in light of many universities' efforts to protect the privacy of their students and staff.

In January, new Penn State ID numbers will go into effect in an attempt to keep students' Social Security numbers confidential.

"It is interesting how Penn State and other universities are moving away from exposing certain confidential information such as Social Security numbers, but the government is moving in on this information," Lindstrom said.

Currently, most universities currently provide information to the government concerning overall enrollment, graduation and other general information without identifying individual students.

Wager said the new policy would require the university to provide identifiable enrollment data for all students.

Higher education officials and organizations, such as the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, have raised questions about the proposed policy in respect to students' privacy rights.

Lindstrom said there is a concern regarding the collection of information for one purpose and using it for another.

"In these cases where information sharing is required by law, Penn State and other schools must comply," he said.

Ryan Smith (freshman-journalism) said he is not worried about the government receiving his personal information, and added that the collected information could be useful in deciding trends.

"Using our information, especially from state-sponsored school students, can really help the government place their efforts in the right places when it comes to increasing graduation rates and raising the percentages of high school grads who go on to higher education," Smith said.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the Department of Education would receive and analyze the data.

Roslyn Korb, NCES post-secondary education program director, said the department has never been forced to share the information with other groups.

"Outside groups will not be able to gain access to this information," Korb said.

"The information will never leave the National Center for Education Statistics."

Ashley Polding (junior-English) said the government should take students' opinions into account when implementing a policy that would affect individual students.

"I wish they would ask the students before giving out this kind of personal information," Polding said.

"The government should not be using it in studies without our permission."