In compliance with Section 119.071(5), Florida Statutes, this document serves to notify you of the purpose for the collection and usage of your SSN.
Hillsborough Community College (HCC) will only use your social security number (SSN) as needed for lawful purposes within the business of HCC and for those specific purposes identified by the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and other state and federal regulatory agencies. The SSN will not be used in any information system as the primary identification of individuals unless required by law. HCC is committed to provide security for our students, faculty and staff; and recognizes that the issue of identity theft is a growing problem. HCC departments that are authorized and required to collect, transmit, store or use a SSN will do so in a secure manner. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including discharge or dismissal in accordance with HCC rules and procedures.
HCC collects and uses your SSN only for the following purposes in performance of the College’s duties and responsibilities. To protect your identity, HCC will protect your SSN from unauthorized access, never release your SSN to unauthorized parties, and assign you a unique student/employee identification number. This unique ID number is used for all associated employment and educational purposes at HCC.
For the student information system (HawkNet), the primary identifier for a student will be the student identification number, which will be used to access student education records, and for electronic and paper data systems that identify, track and service students. Faculty and staff will require students to provide their student identification number for all transactions and not SSNs for any transactions requiring access to student records.
PERSONNEL:
Human Resources Department
Providing your SSN is a condition of employment at HCC. Your SSN is used for legitimate employment business purposes in compliance with:
- Completing an employment/hiring information
- Completing and processing background checks
- Completing and processing the Federal I-9 (Dept. of Homeland Security)
- Completing and processing Federal W4, W2, 1099 (Internal Revenue Service)
- Completing and processing Federal Social Security taxes (FICA)
- Processing and distributing Federal W2 (Internal Revenue Service)
- Completing and processing quarterly unemployment reports (FL Dept. of Revenue)
- Completing and processing Florida retirement contribution reports (FL Dept. of Revenue)
- Processing workers compensation claims Florida Community College Risk Management Consortium (FCCRMC) and Dept. of Labor
- Completing and processing direct deposit files
- Completing and processing 403b and 457b contribution and similar reports
- Completing and processing group health, life, and dental coverage enrollment
- Completing and processing various supplemental insurance deduction reports
STUDENTS:
Admissions
The HCC Admissions Department will collect student SSNs, which is needed for Federal reporting requirements. However, students are assigned a student number through the HawkNet system, which will be used. All SSNs are protected by FERPA and are never released to unauthorized parties. Federal legislation relating to the Hope Tax Credit requires HCC to collect the SSN of each student. A student may refuse to disclose for this purpose but HCC is authorized to fine a student fifty dollars ($50).
Financial Aid
The HCC Office of Financial Aid requires students to submit their SSN on various financial aid forms to coordinate institutional, state and federal financial aid programs. The Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FAFSA) requires all applicants to report their SSN to be used for all Federal financial aid programs as a student identifier for processing and reporting. In addition, the SSN is required for the Department of Homeland Security to investigate citizenship status for the Federal Work Study Program and is required on all loan applications for use by the lender/servicer/guarantor. If you are a recipient of a State of Florida grant or scholarship, such as Bright Futures, the State will also require the use of the SSN.
Outreach Programs
The Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search and College Reach-Out Programs are youth outreach (intervention) projects funded by discretionary grants from the United States or Florida Department of Education (FDOE). As such, each project is required to exclusively serve eligible participants that are citizens or nationals of the United States; or, are permanent residents of the United States. In order to verify a participant’s project eligibility, SSNs are required and also later used when submitting information for the annual performance reports due to the United States or FDOE
Workforce Programs
These programs, funded through the Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI), use your SSN as an identifier for program enrollment and completion. Also, it is used for entering placement information into the statewide data collection and reporting system. Because these are performance-based contract programs, AWI requires that all participants and their program-related activities be recorded in the Florida State system. Courses and programs may include Associate in Science, Post-Secondary Vocational Education, College Credit Certificate, and Workforce courses offered through HCC’s Institute for Corporate & Continuing Education.
Health Science Programs
- Nursing: Graduate names and SSNs are sent to the Board of Nursing on a special form and is encrypted. This is required for graduates to get a Florida license.
- Nuclear Medicine: The Department of Health (DOH) Bureau of Radiation Control requests the students’ names and last four digits of their SSNs to identify them as program completers prior to exam scheduling.
- Respiratory Care: The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) requires submission of names and SSNs of graduates to an electronic database so they can take the certification/registry exam.
Institutional Research and Data Management
The Division of Strategic Planning & Analysis, including the departments of Institutional Research and Information Management and Reporting, uses SSNs for data collection and required annual State and Federal reporting.
CONTRACTORS
HCC collects contractor’s social security information in order to file required information with the IRS, as required and authorized by Federal law.
(rev. 10/12)