I did send them a note on the several privacy issues with Word docs. Among the ironies is that the uni uses certified-source-scrubbing web apps for so much else, and even has a proxy for that purpose.

WOAH. Heard back as I was writing this. They do want people to print and post mail it back (that is in the instructinos). I told them they should probably use PDF for that in the future, to strogly encourage printing. So, good intent, ok instructions, but no protection against user 'oops.' I should make "prescribed" "incorrect" in my description above.