An Oct. 24 article (“Bates students’ info put on Web”) incorrectly stated in both headline and text that two documents with confidential college loan information of 508 current or former students were placed on the “World Wide Web” and “Internet.”

In fact, the confidential information was available only on the Bates campus network to Bates community members using their Bates user name and password. It could not be accessed by a Web browser. As I explained to the Sun Journal reporter, this information was never available on the World Wide Web or the Internet.

This in no way diminishes the fact that we regret any unauthorized access to personal information, no matter how limited.

The article correctly reported that notifications of the data breach were delivered to everyone affected and to the entire campus, and will be reported to the state as required by law.

We know of no access of the computer files beyond the student who found the information and reported it to us, and we are continuing to investigate how this happened so that we can prevent a recurrence.

Gene Wiemers, Lewiston

Vice president for information and library services and librarian, Bates College

Editor’s Note: A correction on the story appeared on page A2 of the Sun Journal on Oct. 26.


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