Student profiles for a price

For only $75, a new student organization hoping to gain access to the University community may gain access to Penn stationery and a mailing list of students fitting a specific profile based on year, grade point average or ethnicity. But a mailing sent out earlier this month by a College junior trying to start an honor society has sparked concern among students who question whether their names should be bought and sold as commodities. The Kensington Achievement Foundation recruitment letter -- mailed to all sophomores and juniors with grade point averages of 3.3 and above -- asked interested students to send $15 and an application to a post office box located at 3741 Walnut Street. "I didn't feel like I was being singled out," Wharton junior Robin Neviaser said. "I found the whole thing kind of sketchy." But "everything was legitimate until Brian [Deshur] sent out the letter," according to Assistant Director of Student Activities Beth Hagovsky. She added that although the foundation's generic application, vague membership criteria and lack of contact information made it suspect, Deshur took all of the appropriate steps to secure University approval. According to Assistant University Registrar for Academic Records Janet Ansert, the office only handles mailing requests from University-affiliated organizations, periodically rejecting requests from moving companies and booksellers looking for publicity. "We don't sell students' names," she said. "If it's within the mission of the University, students should receive it." Wharton junior Janna Davidson said she doesn't mind if the University chooses to distribute her name. "I trust Penn with my information," she said. Ansert added that students who choose to restrict their information are not included in the mailing list. Once the registrar's office receives a mailing list request with the Student Life seal of approval, it provides the organization with a list of names and addresses according to the organization's given set of criteria-- all juniors with above a 3.5 grade point average, for example. Ansert noted that her office only questions the judgement of Student Life when the mailings necessitate religious and racial breakdowns, especially if "there is nothing on the request explaining a purpose." Director of Student Life Activities and Facilities Fran Walker cited a fairly basic approval process for organizations requesting mailing lists, adding that the organizations submit a letter including a mission statement and contact information. The Book Store is one organization that regularly takes advantage of the mailing list, Hagovsky said. Walker also cited the Mortar Board Honor Society as a student organization that launches an annual mailing. In the past, she has approved the mailing, which goes to all eligible juniors, without reviewing the specifics of the letter. Walker stressed, however, that the Kensington Achievement Foundation experience will change the way her office operates in the future. "From now on, we will screen mailings," she said. But she characterized her office as being in "a 'rock-and-a-hard' place situation" due to censorship concerns. "This campus does not want administrators coming down on anything," Hagovsky said. She added that she often advises students to consider less expensive methods of publicizing academic-based, service-oriented organizations, including e-mail, newsgroups and newspaper advertisements. Most student organizers opt for these alternatives since they may not use Student Activities Council funding to subsidize the expense of the registrar's mailing list, which requires a service fee. "We can't just give free mailings to student organizations because we're one big happy Penn family," Walker said, adding that it is important for each office to maintain cash flow so that it may achieve the status of a self-supporting entity.