UW’s co-op office found itself embroiled in controversy in late August after a data breach released the personal information of students on U.S. co-op work terms. The incident, which first came to light through a Reddit post that quickly gained traction, has sparked outrage among students and raised concerns about the university’s data handling practices.

The Reddit post, titled “CECA is so incompetent that they just leaked the home addresses of every single student doing a U.S. co-op,” detailed how the university’s Co-operative Education and Career Action (CECA) office uploaded a spreadsheet containing sensitive personal information to LEARN. 

The spreadsheet, intended to help U.S.-bound co-op students connect with each other, was meant to include names, email addresses, and the companies where students were placed. However, the column that should have listed company names instead revealed the home addresses of over 200 students.

This breach left many students feeling vulnerable and betrayed by the institution they had trusted with their personal data. Comments on the Reddit post reflected widespread disbelief and frustration. One user, in a sentiment echoed by many others, suggested reporting the incident to the privacy commissioner, highlighting the severity of the breach. Others called for legal action, expressing concerns about the potential consequences of such a lapse in data protection.

In a statement to Imprint, UW acknowledged the breach and detailed the steps taken to address it. A university spokesperson confirmed that the data was removed as soon as the error was discovered. “We sincerely apologize for this error and any inconvenience this may have caused,” said the spokesperson. “We have already updated our procedures and other additional measures to ensure this does not happen again.”