Flipping through the pages of the University telephone directory or calling student locator for a friend's phone number is a thing of the past.
Now anyone with Internet access can find out the phone number of other students, faculty and staff with just a click of the mouse.
Over the summer, student telephone numbers became accessible through the University people search, located on the University Web site. Previously, only e-mail addresses could be accessed through a search on the site.
"The decision [to add telephone numbers to the people search] was made over the past year and made in response to student requests," University Registrar Carol "Stash" Stanley said.
Plans are being made to include addresses in the people search as well.
All University community members have the option of withholding personal information from the people search by requesting a directory privacy flag. This would prevent the person's information from being listed in the University telephone directory, student locator and the online people search. Privacy requests must be made in writing to the University Registrar.
"Other schools have found the service [of making phone numbers available through the Web site] to be quite convenient, especially when students elect what number they would like to have included or if they would like to have a number included at all," Student Council President Abby Fifer said. "As long as the privacy of the students is protected, it could ease the burden of the information desk and other university offices."
Virginia Tech, William and Mary, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Stanford University are other universities where phone numbers of students, faculty and staff are accessible through the university Web site.
Students have mixed feelings about the addition of phone numbers and the coming addition of addresses to the people search.
Third-year college student Michelle Igbani raised concerns about being contacted by people from outside the University community.
"You can already access student phone numbers through the phone book and student locator, but people outside the University wouldn't think to go to them to get your telephone number, but they are more likely to look on the Web," Igbani said.
"I like that I can look for my friends, but I don't like it that random clubs can get my e-mail and phone number and contact me," first-year College student Amanda Igbani said. "It doesn't seem necessary, since I can always ask my friends for their number."
However, second-year College student Barbara Adams said she believes the addition of phone numbers is a positive change to the people search.
"It will be so much easier to get in contact with people," Adams said.
Along with the addition of addresses, other changes will be made to the people search.
"There is still some minor tweaking that needs to be done," Stanley said.
The Web site currently lists student phone numbers under "home phone," which may cause the user to believe students' permanent phone numbers are being given instead of their local numbers.
"We have asked ITC to investigate how to clarify this," Stanley said. "We are constantly looking for ways to improve"
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