Welcome, if you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed or subscribe to our email newsletter. Thanks for visiting!

Today the Wisconsin College Republicans filed a complaint with the US Department of Education alleging that the University of Wisconsin - Madison bureaucracy violated federal law seeking student props for a rally with Governor Doyle. You can read the press release online and the formal complaint as well.

A report today in the Daily Cardinal indicates why this complaint was so necessary:

UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said no student’s privacy was violated and only the appropriate Student Financial Services officials knew the names of the students. The Federal law concerning student information, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, was followed, according to Lucas. “We take student privacy very seriously,” he said.

As the WI CRs delineate in their complaint, the law is clear: student data can only be shared within an institution for “legitimate educational interests.” For UW Madison to think that using student data to recruit props for a political rally is a “legitimate educational interest” is a definite stretch.

Now at least that is for the federal DOE to decide, rather than UW bureaucrats with a clear bias and self-interest.

Full disclosure: I am a member of the Wisconsin College Republicans leadership team.

• Why Van's the Man - January 5th, 2009
• 9th Cir. Screws up Scouts' Case - January 5th, 2009
• Favorite Moment in the Final Days - December 29th, 2008
• Over on MULS Faculty Blog - December 29th, 2008
• The Race for DPI Superintendent - December 29th, 2008