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Too often, leaders at higher education institutions think of data security as strictly an IT department concern. Secure networks are vital but the truth is that the loss, theft, or misuse of sensitive personal information (SPI) can happen anywhere on campus.

Bizarre events at college campuses during the last school year, ranging from the fatal shooting of a Wesleyan University (Conn.) student to the potential holdup with a faux gun at Princeton, show the importance of synchronized response teams from the institution and law enforcement authorities. The swift, coordinated administrative responses to potential danger to campus communities, however, does not always carry over when campuses need to respond to less physically threatening but potentially significant campus strife that may accompany complaints of discrimination and harassment.

Over the past decade, the software industry has seen a swell in adoption of on-demand deployment, and the higher education market is no stranger to this growing trend. On-demand software ? commonly referred to as Software as a Service or “SaaS” ? allows vendors to license enterprise-level software deployed through the internet.

College campuses are perhaps the most telling evidence of our culture’s love affair with sophisticated technology. It is commonplace to see students tote laptops from the dormitory to the classroom and the library; use cell phones to stay in touch with friends on campus and check in at home; document college memories with digital cameras; and procrastinate with portable gaming devices. Professors are facilitating the trend by shifting class lessons and assignments to the web and using e-mail, blogs, and online forums to communicate with them outside of the classroom.

If it’s not snow or ice, it’s rain or wind. Any of these elements that affect the weather can also affect employee punctuality and attendance. It is important for college and university administrators to understand what their rights and duties are when it comes to paying an employee who arrives late, or doesn’t report to work at all, because of bad weather. A failure to pay the employee properly could result in an audit, hefty penalties or even a lawsuit.

IT teams are under intense pressure to not only protect their networks from viruses and other malicious code, but also to ensure that students don’t access illegal content or have their privacy jeopardized. This is a pretty tall order for groups often tight on money and staffing.

When Alba Guerrero became an Emerald Eagle Scholar at the University of North Texas, she got much more than a free college education. Alba got the keys to unlock her potential.

Competition for students is even more intense with the current economy. Colleges and universities must expand recruitment and retention programs in the face of shrinking budgets. The U.S. Department of Education estimates enrollment at degree-granting institutions to increase from 17.8 million students in 2006 to 20.1 million in 2017, a 13 percent increase. How can institutions connect with these students--potential leaders and generous alumni--and to their parents, whose role in this potentially quarter-of-a-million dollar decision can’t be underestimated?

“For students in particular, technology is almost an extension of themselves. They use it to communicate, to discover the world, to play games, to collaborate, to create things, to write, to read, and to organize their lives. Nothing can be more foreign to them than school without technology or where technology is relegated to its own special place.”

? Prakash Nair and Randall Fielding, "The Language of School Design: Design Patterns for 21st Century Schools"

It doesn’t seem like seven months have passed since the Pittsburgh Steelers were parading around Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay with that glistening Super Bowl trophy. Part of the reason is that thanks to the news media, and in particular to 24/7 sports coverage, the National Football League never really leaves the public’s consciousness.