Princeton club e-mails alums' Social Security numbers

TRENTON, N.J.—A Princeton University social club is offering a year of free credit report monitoring to about 100 alumni after it accidentally e-mailed their names and Social Security numbers to about 200 current members.

A Tower Club official accidentally attached the spreadsheet to an e-mail early Tuesday about an upcoming event, said Greg Berzolla, the chairman of the club's board.

"It's hard to imagine how they attached the file but they certainly did. It certainly wasn't intentional," Berzolla said Friday.

The club doesn't collect Social Security numbers of members anymore but that wasn't the case with the three-year-old file, which contained identifying information of students signing up for the club back then, Berzolla said.

Those students have since graduated.

A report was filed with state police and a follow-up e-mail was sent out asking members to delete the previous e-mail and file, Berzolla said.

Founded in 1902, the Tower Club is one of 10 eating clubs that operate independently of Princeton University. The eating clubs serve food and act as social gathering places for upperclassmen.

Princeton University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt said administrators hadn't yet decided whether the Tower Club e-mail violated university policy.