Texas Tech University in Lubbock is joining the ranks of colleges ditching the Social Security number as a student identifier. Its current ID cards will be phased out beginning with the spring semester and replaced with cards featuring a university-generated number. Students have until May 31, 2009 to make the change.

Since the ubiquitous Social Security number is used for other purposes as well, software and applications may need to be changed, said a school official. Departments should also look at deleting and shredding old records that contain the number.

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