Sallie Mae goes for the jugular
Please DIGG this story if you think it’s important!
Student loan giant Sallie Mae (ticker: SLM) is looking to grab college directories of students for marketing purposes, arguing that it falls under the Freedom of Information Act. HigherEdWatch.org has the complete story - here’s a snapshot of the actual FOIA request.
Note how they are asking for an awful lot of information. If Sallie Mae wins this court case, every direct marketer in the world will be copying college student directories and spamming the crap out of students - and not just loan companies, but any company will be able to use this tactic.
What can you do about this? When the case goes to court, as it’s expected it will, New York SUNY students should be prepared to submit an amicus curiae legal brief to the court. For students outside of New York State, contact your state legislators and your federal Congressional representatives and ask for legislation that will enforce FERPA (Family Education Rights Protection Act) over the Freedom of Information Act as it relates to personal student information at federally-funded colleges and universities.
