Senior Dominique Beaumonte hasn’t minded using his Social Security number as his student ID number during the past few years for one simple reason — he knows it by heart. But after hearing about a new opportunity to change his ID number to a generated series of random digits, he said he might decide to take advantage, just in case he ever loses the card.
“If I wasn’t graduating, I would appreciate the change a lot more,” he said.
The University is converting all student, faculty and staff ID numbers to a new “generated” series with the goal of removing the one piece of confidential information exposed on each card — a Social Security number. Current card holders are free to change their numbers, all of which start with “950,” an inactive Social Security prefix.
At this point, students are not required to change their ID numbers. If students do not change their number by the end of the calendar year, however, the University will create a campaign to encourage the change, Project Manager Jim Bohle said.
“We have been converting faculty numbers within each department to test out the process and better manage the migration of change,” he said. “You can’t just pull a switch.”
Bohle has discussed the possibility of changing student ID numbers with University officials for the past couple years, but only in the past 15 months have they been building an implementation plan, he said. Although faculty numbers are set to be completely converted within the next calendar year, Bohle said he has become increasingly concerned with the task of managing the flow of student card holders who want an immediate change.

“We want to be in a position to help everyone,” he said. “But we can’t handle 500 a day.”
University Registrar Records Specialist Mike Jefferis said individuals who had ID cards before fall 2002 are welcome to get new ID cards at the UO Card Office, located on the ground floor of the EMU. A current student ID and one other piece of photo ID are required for the process, which takes a little longer than usual so as to access students’ records and create a random number. New ID numbers are effective immediately for Duck Web, Campus Cash, Physical Activity and Recreation Services, the Health Center and Lane Transit District busing; however, library and blackboard accounts are still being updated.
“The change has not been fully implemented,” Jefferis said, “but we’re in the process.”
Students who use housing meal plans can activate their new cards at the Office of University Housing in Walton Complex and those with residence hall access can go to their area desks for activation. Individuals who have other building access must contact the Department of Public Safety with both the new ID number and the card’s sequence number — the six-digit number on the bottom front of the card.
As the ID number change is well under way, Jefferis said students who enroll at the University will get new numbers automatically, but will still need to provide their Social Security numbers for University records and tax purposes.