Directory Leaves Students Unlisted

A number of students who found their names missing from the online phonebook at the beginning of this academic year have now discovered their names are also missing from the printed version of the Student Telephone Directory released last week.

According to Nancy M. Kinchla, director of telecommunications services in the University Information Systems (UIS) department that runs the online database and prints the phonebook, only a handful of students names go missing each year. Most that are absent have requested that their information be withheld.

The accidental omissions often happen to students who have switched House affiliation and to undergraduates with advanced standing. Kinchla said sometimes students were left out of the system for reasons she could not explain.

“The only reason a student’s name would be missing is if they requested to be omitted out of privacy,” said Kinchla.

Over the summer all student residential information is wiped out and recompiled by the Office of the Registrar at the beginning of the next academic year, she said.

“They can’t leave everybody as they are over the summer because data changes between the time they leave and the time they come back,” Kinchla said.

The UIS directory is then compiled from listings received from registrar’s office and information students have submitted.

“The registrars work on through the month of September, and we try to wait till the last minute until they have a complete list,” Kinchla said. “It’s complex.”

Still, when the information is released through online and paper directories, a few names typically go missing.

“Every year we get some calls about people,” Kinchla said. “But we’ve only received reports of one or two students who have found their names missing so far.”

Many students who have discovered their names missing said they simply have not bothered to report the omission.

“Everyone who knows me knows how to reach me so I’ve been kind of lazy about fixing the problem,” said Heather Crossner ’03.

Other students said they are more troubled about being left out of the directory.

“It’s been really frustrating,” said Sandhya Ramadas ’03. “I just don’t exist. I’m like the senior that doesn’t exist. It’s really, really weird.”

Omitted students can submit their information on an online form in order to be added to the system, which is updated daily, Kinchla said.

Some students have reported trouble submitting information.

Jonathan S. Chavez ’05 said his roommate had tried to both call and e-mail UIS to have his information added, but still remains unlisted. Hearing his roommate’s experience discouraged Chavez from attempting to have his own missing information added to the system.

“Talking with them is pointless at times,” he said. “It’s just not worth my hassle.”