Protecting the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers

Chris Cohen, Interim Information Security Officer

Policy Statement: It is the policy of The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College (UTB/TSC) to protect the confidential nature of social security numbers.

The Social Security Number (SSN) Coordinator for The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College is Chris Cohen, Interim Information Security Officer. Employees are required to report promptly inappropriate disclosure of social security numbers to their supervisor, who shall report the disclosure to the Interim Information Security Officer.

UTB/TSC follows The University of Texas System (UTS) 165 policy (previously BPM 66) and UTB/TSC's policy entitled, Rules of Conduct Pertaining to Protecting the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers, and other internal policies regarding confidential and sensitive information.

Policies

• UTS 165 - Information Resources Use and Security Policy.
      
• HOOP 10.1.7: Rules of Conduct Pertaining to Protecting the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers - UTB/TSC's Rules of Conduct Pertaining to Protecting the confidentiality of Social Security Numbers.

Forms

• Acknowledgment and Awareness of the Provision of UTS165 (previously BPM 66)
     
• Mandatory and Voluntary Disclosure Statements - Each time an individual is asked for their social security number, the University must provide a disclosure notice as required by Section 7 of the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 and UTS 165.
     
• Notice About Information Laws and Practices - In addition to the above Disclosure notice, if the social security number is collected by means of a printed or electronic form, the Notice about Information Laws and Practices is required by Section 559.003 of the Texas Government Code and UTS 165.

Security

• Security Plan - UTB/TSC written security plan for records and record systems that contain social security numbers.