New ID's protect students
By Randie Mayo
[email protected]
Staff Writer
Students will no longer need to worry about identity theft when they use their college ID numbers.
Ashton Reed, a history major from Trion, stated, �I think they do need to change the student ID numbers.�
According to Jeanette Eckles, director of enterprise application services, Georgia Highlands College will no longer use Social Security numbers as student ID numbers.
A new computer generated number will replace the old student ID number.
�This change will affect students� ability to log in to SCORE,� Eckles stated.
Currently, students log in to SCORE by inputting a PIN number, which is their SSN with the numbers 99 added to it. Once the changeover has taken place, the new ID number will be used as the PIN number.The conversion will be established by Nov. 7.
Sandy Davis, registrar, noted that once the change occurs, a link providing students with their new ID numbers will be available on the login page of SCORE.
According to Jack Bivins, auxiliary clerk, �Students can find their new ID numbers printed on their Georgia Highlands College ID cards.�
Georgia Highlands College ID cards will not be functional after Oct. 1. Therefore, students holding the old ID cards will need to obtain the new GHC ID cards. Money placed on an FC card will be carried over to the new card.
Bivins stated that �functionality of the new cards will remain the same� including printing and other functions.
After the conversion, the new ID or a driver�s license must be shown when presenting a check at the bookstore instead of providing a SSN.
A decision has not been made on what to do about the network ID, which is used to log in to email and the college computers.
Eckles stated, �We didn�t want to implement anything right now, but we are working to change it.�
The discontinued use of Social Security numbers as a means of ID has been mandated by the Board of Regents, Davis explained.
The reason for the change is to make students �a little more secure,� according to Eckles.
�If we use a Georgia Highlands ID, it is not as prevalent as a student�s Social Security number,� she stated. �It is a number unique to each student, yet simple enough to where you can determine what your PIN is.�
Students seem to concur with the idea of protecting their identities.
Scott Blair, a biology major from Rome, said, �I think it�s a good idea. They are fixing a problem that shouldn�t have been a problem in the beginning.�
'Georgia Highlands College' ID cards will not be funtional after Oct. 1.
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