Document Submission and Cybersecurity
What Are the Cybersecurity Guidelines Affecting Document Submission by E-Mail?
Federal cyber-security guidelines do not permit colleges to solicit nor request that students/parents submit Personally Identifying Information (PII) in an unsecure manner. Receiving solicited or requested PII from a student and/or parent in an unsecure manner is considered a data breach that the college must report to the federal government. E-mail is considered to be unsecure.
What Is Personally Identifying Information (PII)?
PII is any information that can be used to directly or indirectly to establish your identity. PII includes your Social Security number and date of birth, among other information. Hackers and other malicious personalities can use this information to steal identities, open lines of credit, and commit other fraudulent or criminal acts. The implications of this can be severely damaging to someone who is affected.
E-Mail Submission Is More Convenient. Why Do I Have to Follow These Guidelines?
These guidelines were established to prevent fraud and identity theft, and to ensure the protection of student and/or parent information submitted to the Office of Financial Aid, which is committed to protecting the privacy of all students and parents. An alternative convenient method of acceptable document submission is by fax.
I Feel My E-Mail Is Secure, So Why Am I Not Allowed to Submit My Financial Aid Documents by E-Mail?
Even though e-mail has a password, it is not considered a sufficiently secure method for PII submission unless the proper federally defined file encryption is in place. We do not expect that every student /parent will have the ability to properly encrypt or will properly encrypt what they send to the office. Because the documents requested by the Office of Financial Aid contain PII, and any e-mail sent without the proper encryption is considered a data breach, the Office of Financial Aid does not allow document submission by e-mail.
I Received an E-Mail Notification to Submit Documents That Contain PII to the Office of Financial Aid. Isn't That a Request or Solicitation?
As part of the administration of financial aid programs, there are times when the Office of Financial Aid is required by federal law to collect information to determine eligibility for federal student aid programs. The information and documentation collected almost always includes PII. Requesting that you submit required documentation to determine your eligibility for federal or state financial aid programs is not synonymous with requesting that you submit the required documentation in a manner that is not secure pursuant to federal guidelines nor approved of by the Office of Financial Aid.
NOTE: Pursuant to federal guidelines, the Office of Financial Aid will not e-mail documents containing PII to students, parents, or legally authorized third parties but can do so by fax or mail.
Because E-Mail Is Not an Acceptable Method of Document Submission/Transfer, How Do I Submit My Documents?
Documents may be submitted either in person at the Enrollment Services Center or by fax to 718.951.4778.
