Citing privacy concerns, Penn Student Agencies will not be publishing a student directory that lists students' contact information this year.
A revamped directory -- containing coupons, Yellow Pages, maps and University office phone numbers -- has been printed and will be distributed in its place.
Penn's chief privacy officer, Lauren Steinfeld, explained that protecting student privacy is the primary reason for withholding student information from the book directory.
"The concern is the potential misuse of the directory, ... the ability of a complete directory of student information to end up in the wrong hands," Steinfeld said. "It was hard to control the use and distribution of a paper document like that."
Yet, concern for students' privacy was not the only reason the University opted to not print the directory.
A 2002 survey of students, faculty and staff by the Directory Information Committee -- co-chaired by Steinfeld and Assistant to the Deputy Provost Anita Gelburd -- showed that about half of the respondents had never used the student directory at all. Only a small percentage of respondents said they were using the printed directory frequently.
Despite emphasizing the privacy concerns tied to the printed directories, the University plans to maintain its online student directory, which allows any Internet user to access student information.
And, according to an announcement posted on Penn InTouch, the existing online directory will soon be expanded to allow students to include information such as their cell phone number, non-Penn e-mail address and PennCard photo.
Students may choose, however, to limit the amount of information that can be viewed by the general public, while allowing more extensive information to be viewed by only members of the Penn community. Those with PennKey passwords can view the additional online information using the authenticated search option.
Students like College junior John Backes will most likely remain unaffected by the decision to limit information in the book.
"I [have] never heard of the student directory in its book form," Backes said.
Yet, Backes also noted that he frequently accesses the online directory and welcomes the option of including more extensive information, so long as its access is limited to those affiliated with Penn.
The fact that the printed student directory is ending just as the revamped online directory is burgeoning is not coincidental.
"No solution is perfect, but the online directory that is coming is much-improved in terms of privacy controls from the paper directory," Steinfeld said.
The student information formerly contained in the printed student directory included both local and home addresses, local phone number, school, expected year of graduation and fraternity or sorority affiliation, if applicable.
A student could withhold any and all of this information by contacting the Office of the Registrar before the start of the school year.
