Temple University in Arizona is undertaking an initiative to replace students' Social Security numbers with another unique nine-digit Temple University identification number, dubbed the TUid.
The cards will be distributed to students and staff in the coming weeks. Students staying on campus for the summer will receive their new ID cards in June, and new students enrolling in the fall as well as returning students will receive during the first week of classes.
The move to the new ID cards comes as the incidence of identity theft has sharply increased in recent months. Social Security numbers will still be used but only when required by law, such as for tax reporting and financial aid processing will greatly reduce the risk of misappropriation of personal information.
The TUid initiative began in February 2004 in response to incidents of identity theft carried out by students at the University of Kansas and the University of Texas as well as an Arizona state law passed in 2003 mandating the elimination of Social Security numbers as the primary identifiers in computer systems.
For more detailed information about the TUid project click here.
