Notification of Social Security Number Collection and Use
In compliance with Florida Statute 119.071(5), this document serves to notify you of the purpose for the collection and usage of your Social Security number (SSN). Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) collects and uses your SSN only for the purposes listed below, in performance of the College's duties and responsibilities. To help protect your identity, PHSC policies and procedures prohibit the release or disclosure of your SSN to unauthorized parties contrary to state and federal law and assigns you a unique student or employee identification number. This unique ID number is used for all associated employment and educational purposes at PHSC.
Admissions
Federal legislation relating to the Hope Tax Credit requires that all postsecondary institutions report student SSNs to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This IRS requirement makes it necessary for community colleges to collect the SSN of every student. A student may refuse to disclose his or her SSN to the college for this purpose, but the IRS is then authorized to fine the student in the amount of $50. In addition to the federal reporting requirements, the public school system in Florida uses SSNs as a student identifier (section 1008.386, FS). In a seamless K-20 system, it is beneficial for postsecondary institutions to have access to the same information for purposes of tracking and assisting students in the smooth transition from one education level to the next.
Financial aid
A student's SSN is required for the following financial aid purposes: The United States Department of Education's (USDOE) Free Application for Federal 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 to its use by USDOE as a student identifier, the SSN is required in order 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 or guarantor. PHSC collects a student's SSN on certain institutional scholarship applications for student files and federal and state audit/reporting purposes. If you are a recipient of a State of Florida grant or scholarship such as the Florida Student Assistance Grant, Florida Work Experience or Bright Futures, the State of Florida Department of Education will require the use of the SSN on their grant/scholarship disbursement website and for reporting purposes.
Outreach programs
The Take Stock in Children, College Reach-Out Program and similar programs are youth outreach (intervention) projects funded by discretionary grants from the U.S. or Florida departments of education. In order to verify a participant's project eligibility, social security numbers are required and later also used when submitting information for the Annual Performance Reports due to the U.S. or Florida departments of education.
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 either the OSMIS or the Employ Florida Marketplace statewide data collection and reporting system. Because these are performance based contract programs, AWI requires all participants and their program related activities be recorded in the Florida state system. For specific legal authority authorizing or requiring collection, please review the Student Social Security Number Use Chart.