BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Officials at Champlain College said Monday they are offering data protection services to more than 14,000 students and their families after a computer drive containing their Social Security numbers and other data was left unsecured in a computer lab.
“The college has no evidence of any attempted or actual misuse of the information stored on the device, but out of an abundance of caution notified those potentially impacted of steps they can take to monitor their identity, financial accounts, and credit, should they feel it is necessary to do so,” spokesman Stephen Mease said in an email.
The school said the computer drive contained data on 14,217 students who applied for admission over a four-year period ending this year. Some of those students didn’t end up enrolling at Champlain. It said a small number of graduate and Continuing Professional Studies students also may have been affected.
Students and parents whose information may have been compromised were being offered one year of identity monitoring services by First Watch Technologies, Inc., paid for by the college.
In addition, the college has created a website, www.champlain.edu/notification-info, which contains further information, resources and frequently asked questions concerning the incident.
And it set up a confidential inquiry line, staffed with professionals trained in identity and credit protection and restoration and familiar with this incident, to assist the students and parents. The school invited calls from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time to 877-643-2062.
