University Policies and Procedures Manual (previously Business Policies and Procedures Manual)

UPPM 90.78

For more information contact:
   Finance and Administration
   509-335-5524 / VPFA@wsu.edu
   Human Resource Services
   509-335-4521 / hrs@wsu.edu

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1.0   Overview and Purpose

The Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579) limits the circumstances under which governmental agencies may request social security numbers from individuals.

2.0   Requirements

Whenever a University department designs a form that directly solicits a social security number from an individual, the form is to display a statement explaining whether the disclosure of the social security number is mandatory or voluntary.

The Attorney General’s Office suggests the disclosure notice wording in Sections 2.1 and 2.2 for forms requesting social security numbers directly from individuals.

2.1   Mandatory Disclosure

When social security number disclosure is mandatory, display the following notice on the form:

“WSU requires disclosure of your social security number on this form. The authority for this mandatory disclosure is: (cite statute or regulation here). WSU will use your social security number for only the following purposes: (list purposes here).”

2.2   Voluntary Disclosure

When social security number disclosure is voluntary, display the following notice on the form:

“It is unlawful for WSU to deny to any individual any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because the individual refuses to disclose their social security number except in very limited circumstances. WSU requests the voluntary disclosure of your social security number on this form. If provided, WSU will use your social security number for only the following purposes: (list purposes here).”

2.3   Protecting Confidentiality

Since social security numbers are sometimes used for illegal and fraudulent purposes, the numbers are considered confidential.

University departments must safeguard forms containing social security numbers from disclosure and shred the forms at disposition (UPPM 90.01).

University departments must not include a social security number field on any form unless a bona fide need for the number exists. Contact the Attorney General’s Office for guidance.

3.0   Forms Not Requiring Disclosure Notice

A limited number of University forms require completion of a social security number field, but do not directly solicit disclosure of the signing individual’s personal social security number. As such, these forms do not require the disclosure notices described above.

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Revisions:  Feb. 2026 (Rev. 652); July 2011 (Rev. 300); Dec. 1998 – new policy (Rev. 135).