University of Oregon unlawfully releases 22,000 pages with confidential faculty, staff and student records

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2015/01/university_of_oregon_illegally.html#incart_river

University of Oregon officials have placed two employees on leave after the "unlawful release" of 22,000 pages of records from the president's office, including confidential information on faculty, staff and students.

Interim UO President Scott Coltrane sent out an email Tuesday night, addressed to colleagues, saying an investigation was underway. Although no Social Security numbers, financial information or medical records apparently were divulged, Coltrane wrote that, "We are committed to taking steps to mitigate the potential injury associated with this situation."

The information includes records such as correspondence to and from the last four UO presidents, according to Tobin Klinger, a university spokesman. It was requested by a professor, whom Klinger declined to identify, and released without being vetted to comply with state and federal privacy laws, Klinger said.

"The information was sent to a university professor, and we have already requested that the professor return the information and refrain from any public release of confidential information," Coltrane wrote in his email. "To our knowledge, only one record has been shared externally at this point."

Michael Dreiling, president of the United Academics union that represents 1,800 UO faculty and staff members, called Coltrane's evening email unusual, like nothing he'd seen in his 17 years at the university.