ISU reports laptop with students' info stolen

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - A laptop computer containing personal information about more than 2,500 current and former indiana state university students was stolen from a professor as he traveled in southern indiana, school officials said.

ISU spokesman dave taylor said Wednesday that although there's no evidence the password-protected data was breached the school is taking the precaution of notifying all of the affected students for whom it has current contact information.

"We have no reason to believe that information was accessed, but we still want to be protective," he said.

Taylor said the laptop was stolen over the weekend as the professor was traveling with his family and briefly left the computer unattended.

The laptop contained data for students who took economics classes from 1997 through the spring semester 2008.

That information includes names, grades, e-mail addresses and student identification numbers. Until 2003, those ID numbers were each student's social security number.

school officials said the affected students may want to contact any credit bureau to request that a fraud alert be placed on their account.

About 500 ISU faculty members have laptop computers. The university is reviewing its procedures to ensure compliance with existing policies, interim ISU President jack maynard said.

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Wednesday, July 16, 2008 |

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