Data Collection Begins for 2013 Alumni Directory
Every five years, the Mizzou Alumni Association prints an alumni directory, and the 2013 directory project has begun! Over the next couple of months, Publishing Concepts, Inc. (PCI) will be contacting Mizzou alumni and friends via mail, phone and email to request that you update your information.
We understand that you might not want to provide your information to just anyone, so we want you to know their request for your information is legitimate.
Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the directory:
Where can I call to make an update?
Mizzou Alumni Association members may call Publishing Concepts toll-free at 866-510-2994.
Nonmembers may call Publishing Concepts toll-free at 866-510-9850.
Is this a legitimate project?
Yes. The Mizzou Alumni Association has contracted with PCI: The Data Company (also known as Publishing Concepts) out of Dallas, Texas, to collect alumni information and to produce the 2013 Mizzou Alumni print directory. The call/email/postcard you received was sent on our behalf.
Why is the Mizzou Alumni Association using an outside contractor to complete this project?
With a small staff, the Mizzou Alumni Association needs to use a professional company to ensure the directory is complete, accurate and completed on time.
What will the email request look like?
The email you will receive will be sent from Todd McCubbin, executive director of the MAA. It will feature the Mizzou Alumni Association logo and an electronic signature.
If you receive any other suspicious email messages requesting that you reply via email to verify alumni information, these are likely scams. The only way the Mizzou Alumni Association is collecting updates for this project is through the toll-free number; the legitimate message will NOT ask you to reply via email. If you have any questions about the legitimacy of an email message you receive, please feel free to contact the Mizzou Alumni Association at 573-882-6611, toll-free at 800.372-6822 or via email to Christy Pourney at pourneyc@missouri.edu.
Why do I need to update my information?
1. Information changes quickly - mailing addresses, email addresses, children, etc.
2. This is a great way to help the University of Missouri ensure that your information is 100% up to date.
3. The 2013 Mizzou Alumni Directory will be a permanent record of the University of Missouri indicating who attended Mizzou and where alumni and MAA members are in the world as of 2013.
4. It will help your friends stay connected.
Who will be included in the directory?
The 2013 Mizzou Alumni Directory will contain all living Mizzou alumni, former students and MAA members. All graduates through May 2012 will be included.
Can I choose for some or all of my information to not be printed in the directory?
Absolutely. You may tell the caller what information you would prefer to have excluded when you call to update/verify your information. You may also communicate this information to the PCI customer service desk or the Mizzou Alumni Association.
What if there is an error in my Mizzou degree information?
Mizzou degree information comes directly from official university records. If you notice an error, please contact the Mizzou Alumni Association directly at 800-372-6822. PCI operators are not authorized to make changes to degree information.
Is there an environmentally-friendly version of the Alumni Directory?
Yes. Alumni may purchase a CD-ROM of the 2013 Mizzou Alumni Directory.
Who is PCI: the data company?
PCI, also known as Publishing Concepts is a Dallas, Texas-based company that creates and publishes alumni directories for educational institutions. PCI has been in business more than 87 years and was the nation’s first publisher of alumni directories. PCI partners with 17 of the top 25 universities as rated by US News and World Report, including Princeton, Harvard, and Georgetown.
What safeguards do you have in place to ensure that the information in the directory is not misused by PCI or by an individual?
We make every effort contractually and through copyright laws to ensure the safety and confidentiality of information contained in the directory.
PCI is a trusted partner of the Mizzou Alumni Association. They have agreed to a written confidentiality clause in our contract which limits the use of the information contained in the directory to functions directly related to the preparation and promotion of the 2013 Mizzou Alumni Directory. Upon completion of the project, PCI will return to the MAA all files that have been supplied by the MAA or produced by PCI in connection with the 2013 Mizzou Alumni Directory. The information contained in the 2013 directory will be published under the copyright of the University of Missouri Alumni Association and will contain the following language (or similar language) in the opening pages.
“This directory is for official use of the Mizzou Alumni Association and for individual communication of a personal nature between those listed in the directory. Use of the directory for any other purpose, including but not limited to, reproducing and sorting in a retrieval system by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying or use of the addresses or other information contained in this directory for any commercial or mass mailing (whether postal or electronic) is strictly prohibited and in direct violation of the copyright.”