Student security cited as issue in possible Gmail switch
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/03/2009
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A move to Google Apps for Education might allow students opportunities to collaborate with classmates, but Purdue administrators are concerned about students’ security and privacy.
When Purdue looked into Google Mail a few years back, they were most interested in the ways that Google uses search engines on e-mails that are sent and the ways they profile users for advertisements, said Lee Gordon, assistant vice president of student services technology and assessment. But, Gordon said Google was not willing to change their contract just for one institution.
“We wanted them to disclose all of the ways in which they would use their search engines and they weren’t willing to share that,” he said.
Adam Kline, Purdue student body president, said he thinks that other schools wouldn’t be making a switch to something that wouldn’t protect their students.
“I think they’ll find that Google has come a long way,” Kline said. “I think this would be a tremendous victory for students.”
Gordon said the next step is to contact institutions like Notre Dame, who uses Google Apps, to look at their contract.
“Private institutions are not governed the same way as we are, so they may option (to not share their contract), but we’re hoping to get at least one or two that would be willing to share their contract with us,” Gordon said.
While there is much support from students and Purdue Student Government, Gordon said there will be reason to put the Gmail switch through some testing.
“I think that there’s interest to move forward without pause, but I think there will be need for legal review and for senior administrative review,” he said.
Eddie Van Bogaert, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts and a student senator who authorized the bill, said PSG will be working to keep students up-to-date and make sure administrators have what they need to make informed decisions.
“At this point it is a little bit out of our hands. We did the presenting and the background research,” he said. “We are just working as a support staff ... We just want to make sure that University administrators have resources available.”