Purdue University Fort Wayne has abruptly blocked students from accessing their student information and accounts unless they use a university sponsored and supplied VPN or are physically on campus.

The VPN in question a poorly rated free VPN. First off there is no such thing as a free service, especially in tech, this means the users are the product. Through these we can know it keeps a log of students information and will either sell it or keep it for some other reason.

This VPN requires you to be off other VPNs including other better services that you pay actual money for.

This VPN is also made by Cisco a huge partner of the main university, Purdue.

Also... if Security and privacy is the actual goal students should be encouraged and taught to use their own VPN services or software like TOR to access the university's sites. Also, we know that using a single source for online security is a terrible idea because if something goes wrong or is hacked everything else will go down too.

Regardless, in it's current rushed and sloppy state, students are stuck without access to services they're paying for right as the semester begins. Students also cannot withdrawal or access classes either or pay their bursar bills online until they comply.

The university gave us only a few days notice with no consideration of students opinions or open conversations.

All in all this act is a monopolization of cybersecurity, detrimental to students (and employees who have to deal with it), and just a massive overreach on the university's part.

By supporting this petition you are supporting the right to students privacy, right to access the services THEY pay for, and demand Purdue rethink it's security strategy immediately.