Although the students’ social security numbers are used for the keeping of permanent records, for reasons of confidentiality they are not used for identification purposes. Students are assigned a student number upon application to the college and they should remember this number to use in the various offices of the college. Social security numbers will not be released without the consent, in writing, of the student. Authority for requesting the disclosure of a student’s social security number is in Section 7(a) of the privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a)