The search for lost alumni is a priority of many new alumni directors and advancement vice presidents. After all, more alumni in the database means more contact, and more fundraising opportunities.
As a result, alumni association web pages are peppered with well-intentioned listings of "lost alumni" - graduates whose names have no corresponding mailing or email address and no telephone number in the alumni database. (Image at right)
I believe that listing lost alumni on your web site is a security risk – and a potential privacy violation waiting to happen.
Why?
Human nature.
Your advancement office probably has policies designed to protect alumni contact information, but it also has well-meaning, helpful staff members. Putting a policy in place cannot stop someone from providing alumni directory log in credentials to someone who contacts the office and says, "I'm on your list of lost alumni and I'd like to use the directory and update my record. Can you please tell me my user ID and password?"
If this happens just once, you've created a security risk. Providing access to the alumni directory without verifying identification (e.g., by insisting on phone contact and asking for details from the person's alumni record – such as major subject of study, or an advisor's name) means risking the exposure of private alumni contact information to a spammer or a stalker.
My own experience is that these public lists of lost alumni generate extremely small numbers of updated records. In my opinion the risk outweighs the benefit.
If you disagree, or have experience with this practice, leave a comment.
