WP: College Student Tracking Assailed ("Orwellian road"?)

[DeepModem Mom]

College Student Tracking Assailed
Opponents Cite Survey Showing Private Schools Oppose Idea
By Lois Romano
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 7, 2006; Page A15

Private colleges yesterday fired a rather noisy shot across the bow of an education proposal aimed at keeping closer tabs on institutions of higher learning through a new national database of student records.

"Is there some reason to reverse three decades of (privacy) policy and go down this Orwellian road?" asked Christopher B. Nelson, the president of St. John's College, during a conference call with reporters to call attention to a new survey on the subject.

The controversial concept of a national student "unit" tracking system has been floating around for about two years. It was given a boost last month when Education Secretary Margaret Spellings's Commission on the Future of Higher Education released a draft report endorsing such a plan.

The idea, proponents say, is not to invade the privacy of students, but to force colleges to be more accountable to the public by revealing such information as accurate enrollment figures and financial aid percentages, as well as graduation, transfer and dropout rates. The data would come from individual students, but their identities would be protected, supporters say.

Right now, the plan has no legs. The House included in its higher education bill a prohibition on such a plan; the Senate bill ignored it; and some powerful legislators oppose it. Nonetheless, private institutions are fretting that the Department of Education will find a way around Congress to implement it....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/06/AR2006070601424.html

[Paxrasmussen]

1. What they say?

The idea, proponents say, is not to invade the privacy of students, but to force colleges to be more accountable to the public by revealing such information as accurate enrollment figures and financial aid percentages, as well as graduation, transfer and dropout rates. The data would come from individual students, but their identities would be protected, supporters say.

"supporters say" is the key here. If they can track the data W/O personal data, they can track the data WITH personal data.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Yep, Paxrasmussen -- thanks for posting, and welcome to DU!

[newyawker99]

7. Hi Paxrasmussen!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[NashVegas]

2. They're Already Doing it in High Schools

Chancery and other such programs do exactly this.

[demjuli]

4. "private institutions are 'fretting'" ? wtf

Nice unbiased reporting there, asshat Lois Romano.

[havocmom]

5. It will be used to challenge votes I'll bet

Like the GOP did with military personnel they somehow KNEW were deployed: Send mail marked DO NOT FORWARD to people registered in districts they are weak in. When mail comes back use it to challenge residency.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1443718

Thinking our vets and the 80% of active duty people whose data was on that 'stolen' laptop which was suddenly found, intact might have problems voting too.

All these data bases compromised, GOP challenges to voters in many key districts... put it together. Put it together. The more data bases there are to get misplaced the more people will lose their franchise.

[readmoreoften]

6. Or monitor radical student groups.

Of which there are hardly any. Nothing but apathy as far as the eye can see. A minor anti-war movement and a major queer movement on some campuses...that's about it.