Comments by Professor Psaki on Draft Policy Statement 27 January 2004

Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004
From: Regina Psaki
Subject: Re: Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Student Records
To: gilkey@uoregon.edu

Thanks to Garrett for this excellent draft. Overall I found it to cover most of my concerns, better than I could have done in writing. I do have one reservation and two quibbles.

1. The reservation: I would like to see the draft refer explicitly to "recent federal legislation" or "recent changes in federal law" rather than remaining in the realm of general principle. There are specific reasons for an increased concern regarding privacy, and the draft will gain in focus and strength from acknowledging this.
2. The quibbles: Is the clause I have italicized really necessary?

As a community, therefore, the university expresses its concern that cooperation with law enforcement and political oversight of the university, while essential in a free society, should not go beyond the legitimate needs of outside bodies requesting information about university students, faculty and personnel.

Also, in the same sentence, the phrase "its concern that cooperation .. should not go beyond" reads oddly to me. How about "its concern that cooperation ... not go beyond" or "its interest [conviction, policy, stance, principle] that cooperation ... should not go beyond" ?

Thank you, Gina Psaki

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