Student database poses privacy concerns: but some say it would provide better data on higher ed trends.

Of all the people who should be most concerned about the implementation of a national student database, students should be at the top of the List, according to The United States Student Association (USSA). The organization strongly opposes the database proposed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), claiming privacy infringement and possible misuse of gathered information. However, the NCES, who was not available for comment, claims that creating the database, which would include information on individual students such as their social security numbers among other personal data, would allow for a better analysis of IHEs in the U.S. as a whole.

"We're opposed to it because it creates a lot of privacy concerns for students and for students records," says Ajita Talwalker, president of USSA, who participated in a series of listening sessions at the NCES to discuss her organization's concerns about the database.

"Students should be concerned because privacy rights would be infringed upon and there is no option to opt out of the program," says Jasmine Harris, legislative director of USSA. "We're most concerned about abuse and misuse of the data."

NCES conducted its own study on the feasibility of creating such a database, which it refers to as a student unit record (UR) system intended to replace the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The NCES' feasibility study determined that while the newly proposed database would be feasible, issues such as infringing upon student privacy rights, and the additional costs and burdens to institutions and to the federal government to implement the program, could keep the system from being a worthwhile endeavor.

Travis Reindl, director of state policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), defends NCES' proposal. He says the AASCU is interested in exploring the option of conducting research using individual instead of aggregate information.

"The concerns about privacy are legitimate. But we are reassured by the fact that NCES has a perfect record of protecting the integrity of their data. They've never had a breach. There are lots of safeguards that personally identifiable information will not be floating around."

Conversely, Daren Bakst, president of the Council on Law in Higher Education, sees a great danger in "data-matching" with the new proposal. "Once you've got a database and information like that," he says, "you let the genie out of the bottle. Just because there is more data, there is no evidence that this is better policy as a result."

According to the NCES' report, the current IPEDS framework is flawed. It states: "The current IPEDS framework cannot accurately capture changing enrollment and completions patterns in the postsecondary education sector, especially given increasing numbers of nontraditional students and the mobility of students."

But Harris says, "IPEDS already includes a good deal of information through aggregate data." She does admit, though, that numerous problems were cited by the U.S. Department of Education about having inaccurate statistics and measures from gathering the data using IPEDS. "We understand there are some inaccuracies out there for statistical purposes; at the same time we are not willing to sacrifice student privacy rights for the sake of better information. We are willing to help the government to explore other alternatives."