WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Washington recently gave the green light for the termination of a class action lawsuit brought against Georgetown University over a significant data breach in October, which compromised the personal information of students and alumni. This decision has finalized the legal proceedings surrounding the incident that stirred concerns over privacy and data security within the academic community.
In mid-October, Georgetown University found itself at the center of a digital security crisis when it was revealed that an unauthorized data leak had occurred on the 16th and 17th of that month. The breach exposed sensitive information such as admissions details, academic records, financial aid information, and social security numbers of current and former students.
The initial lawsuit was brought against the university by Mary Margaret “Maggie” Cleary, a 2014 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts, on October 18. Cleary accused the institution of failing to adequately safeguard personal data. Shortly thereafter, two additional lawsuits were filed by Rebekah Morrison, a current student, and Tyree Daniels, a 2019 graduate school alumnus. On November 13, a federal judge consolidated these lawsuits, since they all pertained to the same event and defendant.
Georgetown’s Chief Information Officer, Doug Little, had previously informed the university community of the breach through an email dated October 17. In his communication, Little commanded the 29 individuals who accessed the data through the GUExperience portal during the breach to eliminate any retained information.
However, the legal team representing Cleary, Morrison, and Daniels decided to voluntarily dismiss the case, citing no specific reasons for their decision. Documents indicate that the dismissal was with prejudice, which prevents any future lawsuit on this matter from being filed by the same parties.
This lawsuit’s dismissal brings to close a chapter of potential legal ramifications for Georgetown University but leaves open questions about data protection and privacy in higher education settings. It also sets a precedent for how universities might handle and respond to similar breaches in the future.
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