Data Protection in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Review of IT Security Policies in a University Environment.

Computer information is omnipresent and when organizations collect and retain information about others, either in the form of financial records, personal data, or medical records, that organization has an obligation to protect the information from falling into the wrong hands. One thing that makes colleges and universities different from corporate businesses is the fact that they are places for learning and exploring. Therefore, not only should policies have a succinct structure, but also they need to allow academic freedom while still being adhered to by various types of users. Human Resources and administration should work in partnership with IT to put policies in place quickly. The biggest barrier to swift development and deployment of computer security policies is the bureaucracy that is created within academia.