University ID FAQ
Did You Know?You can continue to use AccessPlus after you graduate from Iowa State University. |
University ID: Frequently Asked Questions General Questions:What is my University ID (UID)? How do I find my UID number? Can I use AccessPlus? Is my UID confidential? Why are we switching to UID? Why are we switching to UID instead of to Net-ID? I still have questions about my UID. Who should I contact? Where else can I find information about UID? Departmental Questions:Will all university systems/processes/forms use UID instead of How do I access the UID of employees so that I can switch over from SSN to UID as the identifier? General:What is my University Identification Number (also known as UID)?Your UID is a random and unique identification number issued to students, faculty, and staff. The UID replaces the Social Security Number (SSN) as the primary identifier for students, faculty and staff per Iowa State University’s SSN Policy: http://policy.iastate.edu/policy/ssn. How do I find my UID number? Can I use AccessPlus?You can find out your UID by: a) Looking at your ISUCard and noting the middle block of 9 digits, or b) Logging into AccessPlus (https://accessplus.iastate.edu) using your SSN and password. Select the A+ Home tab and then select "ISU IDs" from the menu on the left side of the screen. A screen will appear with your UID. How long is my UID valid?Your UID number will remain permanently part of your ISU records. However, the services associated with the UID number and your ISUCard will change as your relationship with the university changes. Is my UID confidential? If UID must be protected, why are we switching from SSN to UID?Students: FERPA regulations apply to your UID. Therefore, your UID is confidential and must not be included in directories, posted with grades, or distributed on lists. Employees: Your UID number should be considered information that is sensitive and therefore needing some level of protection. However, the risks associated with misuse of the UID are limited to ISU. In contrast, a misused SSN could be used at a commercial or financial institution for fraudulent purposes including identity theft. Departments: An individual’s UID should not be released except for university business purposes. The UID should never be published. Why are we switching to UID instead of to Net-ID?A Net-ID is not permanent. After you leave ISU another person might select the same Net-ID that you used. In contrast, the UID remains a part of your permanent university record. I still have questions about my UID. Who should I contact?Students: Registrar (294-1840) Employees: Human Resource Services (294-6458) Affiliates: ISUCard Office (294-2727) When was the UID established and how far back were UIDs assigned?The UID was developed in mid-1996 as part of the effort to re-card the campus. Every current and former employee that had an electronic personnel record has a UID. All students from 1976 to present have a UID, but only those from 1996 to present know their UID. All employees that were part of the electronic system in 1996 – present have a UID. Where else can I find information about UID?Office of the Registrar - Website concerning Confidentiality (FERPA), the ISUCard, and SSN: http://www.iastate.edu/~catalog/2005-07/geninfo/records.html#Anchor-ISUCar-65254 Departmental:Will all university systems/processes/forms use UID instead of SSN?Yes, as much as possible. The Social Security Protection Policy states that the UID will replace the SSN as the unique identifier and the use of the SSN shall be limited as permitted by law. Procedures were provided for university offices to follow. The SSN Protection Policy was implemented by June 30, 2007 . http://policy.iastate.edu/policy/ssn http://policy.iastate.edu/policy/ssn/procedure.shtml How do I access the UID of employees so that I can switch over from SSN to UID as the identifier?You can contact IT Services (294-8034) or HRS (Vicki Brubaker, 294-0148, vabruba@iastate.edu) and arrange to get a file of UIDs that correspond with the SSNs in your database. HRS has already provided this information to department and unit representatives and it is also available through the UBusiness tab of AccessPlus. Contact Vicki Brubaker at 294-0148 or vabruba@iastate.edu to request access to this information. For security purposes, it is extremely important that SSNs are no longer maintained after being updated to UID as the identifier. |
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