BYU NewsNet - Students' GPA sent in fluke mass e-mail

College of Humanities students were surprised to find a list of their fellow students GPAs and ID numbers included in a mass e-mail sent out last Thursday.

“An employee in the College of Humanities inadvertently sent an e-mail to all students in the college,” said Carri Jenkins, university spokesperson.

Jenkins said the e-mail was intended to be sent to the Registrars Office but was sent to the students’ e-mails instead.

Although the e-mail shared students’ private personal information, Jenkins said the information released does not appear to increase students’ vulnerability to identity theft or fraud.

“The e-mail did not contain Social Security numbers,” Jenkins said. “The university ID numbers that were in the attachment have no relationship to Social Security numbers.”

Jenkins said many steps are being taken in addressing this mistake so that it does not happen again.

John Rosenberg, dean of the College of Humanities, sent out two e-mails to the students who were affected relaying apologies and regrets, as well as future prevention to this problem.

“I extend to you my deepest apology with my commitment that we will implement safeguards to prevent this from happening again,” Rosenberg said in an e-mail to the students. “I have asked our IT personnel to install a two-level list moderator in all offices that manage student records. I have also instructed all personnel who work with confidential student information to repeat the standard university training on compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).”

Rosenberg also included in the e-mail that he asked the associate dean for Student Services to evaluate office protocols in order to prevent future similar mistakes.

Rosenberg also asked all students who received the e-mail to please delete it immediately and refrain from reading it.

Rosenberg said he is willing to work with students who have concerns and ensured them no information included in the e-mail can harm their security.

“I am committed to being as open and honest with you about [the] problem as I can,” Rosenberg said in an e-mail. “I welcome your questions and expressions of concern and will respond to them as quickly and completely as I am able.”