Do not rest easy. Federal investigators are after records of California State University students, and that could mean you.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, concerns over “homeland security” have reached fever pitch. This is not unreasonable, considering the seriousness of the disaster and the vulnerabilities it exposed. What is disturbing is the apparent lack of opposition to recent federal actions in the scramble to track down terrorists. We urge CSU administrators to be vigilant in questioning federal requests for student information.

Administrators are treading a fine line between a responsibility to protect both student rights and safety. The University possesses students? names, addresses, social security numbers, place of birth and community service affiliations. They are not allowed to divulge student records without an official subpoena or student permission. At press time, no administrators at Sacramento State had been asked for student information.

If the search for terrorism reaches Sac State, administrators should never lose sight of the hysteria that is driving it. This includes the dreaded approach of racial profiling. Before Sept. 11, more than 80 percent of Americans were opposed to racial or ethnic profiling. Now, with hundred of Arab Americans being detained, the federal government is letting it happen. We hope our administration will not. If federal agents request student information, administrators should make them provide solid evidence.

Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Ann Reed has stated that requests for student information will be considered case by case. If the University is truly dedicated to this approach, we will find positive results. However, administration should also acknowledge their inexperience in dealing with such matters. Rather than deferring to officials, legal advice should be sought. Though administrators have a clear obligation to security, their responsibility toward students is far more difficult in the face of such a sweeping investigation. We hope they will keep students free from fear.