When ETSU students return from Spring Break on March 14, they will be able to use new Student ID (SID) numbers in place of their Social Security Numbers (SSNs).
Conversion to an SID system is being made for the security of the campus community, said Dr. Tony Warner, assistant vice president for student affairs and chair of the task force charged with implementing the new system.
“Because of identity theft issues, there is a nationwide trend toward increasing personal identity security,” Warner said.
This switch has been three years in the making. During that time, Warner said, university staff have worked to ensure that all campus software systems dependent upon the nine-digit SSN will convert properly to accommodate the new eight-digit SID number.
University officials plan to switch from the SSN-based identification system to the SID system on Monday, March 7.
All current students will be assigned new SID numbers at that time, and incoming students will be assigned SID numbers as they are entered into the university system.
In addition, former students graduates and anyone who has an academic record at the university since Fall 1991 will be assigned SID numbers, although they will not need to know their numbers to obtain transcripts or for other purposes.
As of March 7, all campus systems depending on the ID number, including registration, grade reporting, residence hall door access, ID BUC$ debit account usage, library access and more, will continue to operate in a normal manner, whether an individual has an ID card with the new number or the old number.
Because both the SID and Social Security numbers will work with these systems during an anticipated “phase-in” period of three to four years, students do not need to obtain new ID cards.
ID cards with the SID numbers will automatically be issued to incoming ETSU students starting this summer.
On March 7, students may learn their new SID numbers by logging into GoldLink, the university’s online registration system.
When students access GoldLink using their SSNs, their new SID numbers will be displayed.
After students have logged into GoldLink once and obtained their SID numbers, the special SID display page will be bypassed if they log in with their SID numbers on subsequent GoldLink sessions.
In addition to students, all ETSU faculty and staff will be issued new ID numbers in the coming months.
For more information, call the ETSU ID Services Office at (423) 439-8316.

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