The ability to access and update your personal biographical information online is a reasonable expectation in the information age. Moreover, when you change your information, all relevant records throughout the campus should be automatically updated (this assumes the campus has an integrated database).

Having electronic access to your data is also helpful in ensuring its accuracy, something that you have a right (and responsibility) to do under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Ask about how the campus provides records security to ensure that your data will remain confidential and free from tampering or being viewed by unauthorized persons. Often campus regulations require that you change your password regularly and that you not share your password with anyone else.

Additional information about privacy in a networked world is available from the EDUCAUSE Web site.