Faculty tickets contain ID info

New ID system planned

By: MERCEDES PARHAM

Posted: 8/25/08

University faculty expressed concerns about the presence of their nine-digit Social Security Number on the barcode of faculty football season tickets.

"We are aware the Social Security number is included in the 18-digit number," said Claude Felton, associate athletic director. "It is used as internal verification within the Athletic Association."

Unlike student identification, which uses a 16-digit number created within the University card office's systems, faculty must use their Social Security Numbers for verification. An external company operates the faculty ticket system. Only the ticket office, however, has access to the individual numbers. After a faculty member scanned his ticket, he brought the potential identity compromise to the attention of the ticket staff.

"Faculty/Staff ticket holders beware! I received my season ticket this weekend. Curiosity getting the best of me, I scanned the barcode from the back into my computer and low and behold...the last 9 numbers are my social security number!," Chad Cheely, environmental safety specialist in the environmental safety division, wrote on Aug. 12. "Be sure to take extra care of this card on game days. Don't let it get into the wrong hands! A $20 barcode scanner is capable of reading this information."

After posting to the listserv, a series of correspondence began.

"Okay, so a colleague of mine just called the ticket office about the cards with our SS#'s and they said they are aware of the problem," Kelly Foster, research professional with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government wrote that day. "They said that all of the important people (or whatever) are in a meeting now trying to figure out what to do. ... I'm not suggesting that we all flood the ticket office phone line ... but I do think we should find a constructive way to let the ticket office know that we are not pleased with this and we want another option."

A week later, responses picked up again.

"So, what's the latest on this issue? I think the ticket office owes us a reply or something," Stuart Kimbell, an application analyst specialist for the Georgia Center, wrote on Aug. 18. "It's been a week and nothing has been said about this. ... I take this issue more seriously than 99% of the topics discussed on a weekly basis on the staff listserv and it's a shame more people don't. I'm sure that would change if their identity ever got stolen."

With concerns on the rise, the ticket office is taking steps toward a resolution.

"Our ticket office has received communication regarding these concerns," Felton said.

The ticket office plans to invest in a new primary computer system that would create in-house identification numbers. This system would also replace the use of Social Security Numbers, similar to student identification.

"We understand it is not the ideal situation … We're hopeful for a solution within a few months," Felton said.